The Lombax Rebirth
by Artemisia032495
Summary: The sequel to Another Story. Claire, the daughter of Ratchet and Kori, decides to explore the Lombax Dimension for an entire year. She meets her family and a boy. But when it comes time to separate at the end of the year, will she choose to stay or will he choose to go?
1. Annoying Siblings

**Welcome. This is The Lombax Rebirth, it is a sequel so the chapters are longer. I do hope you enjoy this new installment. By the time I am posting this, the story is already complete, but I am putting out the chapters in increments. And if it is necessary I have a nice reference chapter saved up. There are quite a few characters. Just so you are warned.**

 **All non canon characters are mine.**

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"Claire, Franklin, Ian, Liza!" Kori called. "Time for breakfast!"

Like the floodgates had opened, four young lombaxes competed who would get to the kitchen first for breakfast. Kori and Ratchet expertly avoided the chaos, staying out of their children's way. Grandpa Kaden already sat at the table, grey around his muzzle and ears.

18-year-old Claire smiled at her siblings and activated her hoverboots, beating all her siblings in record time. Her parents, though, frowned. Claire deactivated her hoverboots and sat at the table. "I'm here." She gave her parents a cheeky grin. "What's for breakfast?"

Ratchet sighed and looked at Claire with an eyebrow raised. "No hoverboots in the house."

Claire crossed her arms and looked to her Grandfather. "They didn't state that in the rules," She complained, "Grandpa can't that be a new rule for next time?" Claire had grown into her stripes, but curiously her left side had red stripes with her blue eye and with her green eye had orange stripes.

Kaden laughed and shook his head. "Not my house, not my rules. I can't give exceptions."

Franklin, a brother Claire had gotten when she was two, walked in with his eyes trained on a screen in front of him. "Sorry, I found something quite interesting I had to start reading." Franklin sat next to his father, he had gotten his father's stripes but his blue eyes and orange coat color he got from his mother.

Ian, another brother at age four, followed quickly by Liza, finally a sister at age six, who pestered each other being only two years apart. Ian laughed and beat Liza to the table. "Who stops to start reading something?" Ian got his fur color and eyes from his father and stripes from his mother, while Liza got everything from her mother. Orange fur, blue eyes, and red stripes.

Claire shrugged. "Lin, apparently."

"It's Franklin." Franklin corrected. "I don't call you Lair." Claire shrugged and commented to herself that Lin was better than Frank.

Liza smiled and looked at her father. "Daddy, what would my nickname be?"

Ratchet opened his mouth but Ian answered. "Your name is too short, like mine, Liza. You don't get a nickname like I don't."

Liza nodded and accepted this information. "Right. We can't call you An. That's ridiculous." The twelve-year-old grabbed a pad from her pocket and started to write down nicknames for herself.

Kori came from the kitchen, bumping into several things and almost losing the plates. She smiled as Ratchet came to her rescue and took several things. Claire watched as her parents shared a kiss and her father laid a hand on her mother's stomach. She'd seen him do that before but she couldn't remember when.

Kaden was chatting up Franklin about his latest inventions, Ian was entertaining himself with trying to sneak a peek at Liza's list. She was always making them. But Claire watched her parents until they noticed she was watching and pretended that they had done nothing.

Kori and Ratchet handed out breakfasts before setting down and smiling at their children. Kori whispered in Ratchet's ear, Ratchet nodded back in assumed reply.

The boys had already started eating, while Liza started listing off her ideas to Claire about improvements she could make to her hoverboots. Kaden started to nod off until Ratchet called everyone to attention.

"If everyone could give me their attention," Ratchet announced, waking up his father. The children snickered at their Grandfather as he stuck his tongue out at the lot of them. Ratchet cleared his throat to get all eyes back on him. "Your mother and I have something to announce."

Franklin muttered, eyes still on his screen, "This better be good." Claire motioned for Ian to hit his brother, Ian complied. Franklin told his brother exactly what he thought about being hit in the back of the head.

While the boys had a screaming match at the table, Kaden looked at Kori and Ratchet. "Are you two sure you want to add another to this lot?" Claire and Liza shared a look before they turned to their parents.

Kori looked down before she smiled at Kaden. "There's no more thinking about it." She cuddled up to Ratchet. "It's too late for that."

Claire stood up and slammed her hands on the table. "You can't mean it!"

Liza hit her brothers with her pad. "Shut up you two!"

Ratchet put his head in his hands for a moment before he took a deep breath and blurted. "Your mother is pregnant."

Claire exclaimed how she knew it, that was where she remembered that gesture before. Liza jumped in her chair and clapped her hands with Ian. Franklin groaned and went back to reading. Kaden nodded and patted Liza's head.

Kori laughed and put her hand on Ratchet's. "Mixed reviews, not like we expected any different."

Liza leaned over the table and her breakfast to look at her mother. "Mama, do you want me to make a list of baby names?"

Kori smiled. "You have a while yet until the baby comes, you could make quite the list."

"Count on it." Liza grinned, the young girl ate all her breakfast before she took off on her hoverboots.

"Liza," Ratchet called. "No hoverboots in the house!" He got up and followed after her.

Ian finished his breakfast and ran after his father just to see if Liza would get yelled at. Franklin left quietly to continue his reading and his latest invention.

Kori smiled at her remaining child. "So, Claire," She scooted in her chair. "What do you think?"

Claire shrugged and stood across from her mother. "It's great Mom." She sat back down and gave her mother her best smile. "Listen, Mom, I was thinking about…" Claire cleared her throat and got serious. "Going pro with hoverboarding."

Kaden looked between mother and daughter and evaded the scene immediately. Kori sighed and rested her arms on the table in front of her. "The Hoverboarding Circuit is in the Solana Galaxy this year. Do you know how far away that is?"

Claire shrugged and smiled again. "I promise I'll be safe. I've already planned out the route I would take." She put her hands together. "Please, Mom." Claire folded her hands above her head. "This is me, we're talking about. I can take care of myself, and you know you can trust me on my own."

Kori rested her forehead against her hand. "I'll talk to your father about it." She stood up and pointed at Claire. "I make no promises that he'll say yes." Kori leaned over and kissed Claire on the head before following Ratchet.

Claire ate the rest of her breakfast alone before she went out to the hoverboot course her Grandfather made before she was born. She ran the course slowly at first, but every time she got to the start again she sped up. Claire got to the point where she ran the course backward without any mistakes, throwing in flips and twirls.

Liza sped over to her sister. "Claire!" Liza called. "Claire, Uncle Montay is here!" Claire diverted her course and grabbed her little sister, pulling along her sister. At least once a year Montay visited them to keep the families connected, even inter-dimensionally. When the two girls got there Montay was already giving Kori the new family stills.

Claire gave her sister a light acceleration so she could run into their Uncle Montay. "Uncle Montay!" Liza exclaimed as Montay caught her and swung her around.

"Express delivery." Montay laughed as he put down the girl. "You are getting tall, Liza." He patted her head.

Montay saw Claire coming and he extended his arms to 'catch' her too. Claire slowed down to gently glide into her uncle's arms. "Hey, Old Man," Claire commented, which got her hair messed up by her uncle.

It was in that moment that Claire got an idea in her head. This idea seemed very reasonable for her, but when she bought this up to the adults in her life they looked at her like she had grown a second head.

Her father looked at her mother before focusing on Claire. "Claire, you're not going to the Lombax Dimension."

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 **Thanks so much for reading. I do hope you enjoyed it. Please leave a review, tell me what you think. See you next chapter!**


	2. Adventure

**Hello again. Good to see you. I hope you enjoy this chapter. It is where our two worlds collide. And we meet the Hunter.**

 **All non-canon characters are mine.**

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They held the discussion around the dinner table, where all the best discussions were held. In Claire's mind it was one against four; her parents, grandfather, and uncle. Liza immediately ran off to tell their brothers that Claire was going away forever.

Kaden shrugged. "She's a real Lombax, Polaris was never big enough for us. That's one of the reasons we started interdimensional travel in the first place." He thought for a moment. "That and someone had the idea but I don't remember who anymore." Montay agreed but Ratchet and Kori still unconvinced.

Claire liked her odds. "Plus I wouldn't be alone." She smiled at her parents. "I'd have Uncle Montay, Uncle Rolin, Great Aunt Talia, Grandma, Aunt Astrid, and all my cousins."

Montay nodded at Ratchet and Kori, "Mom has been dying to officially meet Claire since she was born." He placed his hand on Kori's shoulder. "I don't know how many pictures are going to hold her off."

Claire cheered silently to herself. "I've wanted to meet Grandma for so long," she played off her uncle. "And I'd get to spend time with everyone in my family. Aunt Talia would flip if she found out I was coming."

Kaden thought for a moment before nodding. "That she would."

Ratchet rubbed his brow. "I just can't imagine sending our eldest to another dimension."

Kori rested her hand on Ratchet's. "Honey, Claire and I had a discussion earlier." Kori recounted how Claire wanted to go to the Solana Galaxy for hoverboarding. "It's either the Solana Galaxy alone or she could go and be with her family."

Montay chimed in. "And if she has any trouble I could bring her right back, quicker than traveling to and from Solana."

Claire gave her father her best smile, folding her hands. "Please, Daddy!"

Ratchet looked at his daughter, she hadn't called him Daddy in years. Years ago he almost lost his wife to the Lombax Dimension, what if Claire chose to stay there like Kori had chosen to stay in Polaris. What if she met someone. He sighed and looked at Claire, he had noticed long ago that she was almost literally half him and half Kori. Half Polaris and Half the Lombax Dimension. "On one condition," he had to stop Claire from cheering, "you have to remember you always have a home here on Fastoon."

Claire ran to her parents and hugged them. "As if I could ever not call this place home." She smiled big and especially hugged her mother. "Plus with me not around you can get ready for the new baby."

"New baby?" Montay asked while Kori shrugged.

Claire evaded the scene, "Gotta pack, don't leave without me Uncle Montay!" Claire ran to her room, making sure she didn't use her hoverboots inside to keep her father from changing his mind. She didn't know what to pack, what would she need? Clothes, definitely. Tools, suspected yes. Liza, no.

Liza?

Claire noticed her little sister standing in her room doorway. Liza's ears were drooped and she gave Claire her saddest face. "Why do you have to leave, Claire?"

Claire smiled and hugged her little sister. "It's not forever, Liza. I just need to get out of this galaxy, and meet our family." She pulled her sister into her room and sat with her on her bed. "Dad pretty much made me promise I'd come back anyway."

Liza sighed and smiled again. "As long you don't leave me here with Idiots 1 and 2."

"I didn't know Cronk and Zephyr were coming to visit," Claire smirked. Liza pushed her and laughed.

"You know what idiots I mean." Liza tried to mess up her sister's hair. The girls laughed together for a bit before Montay called for Claire. Liza sighed and hugged her sister again. "I'll miss you. Fastoon won't be the same without you."

Claire hugged her sister back tight. "You're making this hard, Liza."

"Good," Liza rubbed her face on her sister's shoulder. "Next time you'll think twice."

"Last call!" Montay's voice carried. "I need a Claire front and center."

Claire and Liza shoved some final things in the bag Claire packed, it only took Liza sitting on it to make the bag close. An accomplishment if one was ever seen. The girls rushed down the stairs and out the door to meet Uncle Montay where he usually opened the portal.

"I'm here." Claire could hardly wait, she nearly bounced with excitement.

Ratchet and Kori pulled Liza toward them and held her close. Ratchet stating that losing one daughter was hard enough. Kori wrapped her arms around Liza and put her chin on the little girl's head.

Montay smiled at Claire. "One more goodbye, your mother needs it."

Claire put down her bag and rushed to her parents and sister. She stopped short noticing her brothers and grandfather weren't there. "Where is crust brain, techno Tommy, and bigger Liza?"

Ratchet smiled sadly. "Your grandpa isn't fond of goodbyes and we couldn't find your brothers."

Claire sighed and hugged her dad again. "Pass that onto them, and I'll be back." She kissed her parents each on the cheek, and almost squeezed the life out of Liza. "Don't miss me too much, and don't mess with my stuff."

Liza smiled and nodded her head. "Now that you mention it, I do like the hoverboarding trophy you got last year."

Claire messed up her sister's hair. "Seriously. No messing with my stuff." She pulled away from Liza and faced her Uncle Montay. Claire took a deep breath, made sure she had her bag and grinned up at her uncle. "Okay. Ready."

Montay nodded at Claire. "Let's get going then." He activated his device, opened the portal in front of them, and took Claire's arm. "So you don't get lost." Montay gently pulled Claire through the portal to the other side, closing the portal behind them.

Claire found herself in Montay's lab, clean as she would expect it, stills of her cousins hanging on the walls. "Huh." She remarked. "I figured the Lombax Dimension would be...bigger."

Montay smirked and took Claire's bag. "This is just my lab, this is where the portal always lets out." He set down her bag next to his desk. "I promise, there is much more to the Lombax Dimension than just my little lab." He made her a clearance pass as his guest and gave it to her, with the name Claire Azimuth, instead of Claire Olympic.

Claire looked at her uncle for clarification but he offered none, only to say they were going to go see someone special. It wasn't until they got to the office of Commander in Chief Olympic that she knew who they were seeing. Montay told her to stay outside, and he knocked on the door.

"Come in." An older female voice answered from inside. Claire had to fight herself not to try and peek inside. Montay slipped inside and was greeted with, "Ah, Montay. Anything new?"

The door closed and Claire was left alone in the hallway. Something new to her, or at least abnormal for her. The last time she had been left in a hallway was when her mother was in labor with her sister Liza, she had to watch her brothers with her grandfather. Back when her grandfather's eyes were starting to go bad, but she was a good girl and waited patiently in the hallway for Montay to come back.

Soon enough Montay opened the door again and beckoned Claire inside. "Your nephew allowed me to bring this," Montay smiled as Claire walked in. She met eyes with green eyes she knew. Her Great Aunt Talia seemed frozen for a moment before she smiled.

"Claire, I assume." Talia mused, crossing the room to meet the younger female lombax. "Look at you." Claire hadn't made any assumptions on what her great-aunt would look like, except green eyes.

Claire smiled. "Um...Hi?"

Talia laughed. "Hi." She gently put her hand on Claire's face. "Quite interesting colorings you've got. Heterochromia and two different sets of markings split almost perfectly down your center." When she received a look from Claire Talia smiled. "Heterochromia, eyes of two different colors. Then the half that has green eyes has your father's coloring, while the blue eye half has your mother's."

Claire nodded. "Grandpa Kaden mentioned you were a researcher."

Montay walked up to them. "Not just that, she's in charge of the entire Facility. Has been that way since before you were born."

Talia sighed and gently touched Claire's face. "Enough of that. How long are you staying, Claire?"

Claire smiled. "Hopefully the whole year, but Uncle Montay said that if I ever need to go home early he'd take me." She shrugged. "It was one of the selling factors that my parents agreed to."

Talia nodded and hugged Claire. "We're happy to have you." She smiled at Claire for a moment before releasing her and turning to Montay. "That brother of mine gives me one letter a year, he should remember to write it. Speaking of which, Montay, don't you have to go to dinner at your mother's?"

Montay looked at his wristwatch. "That is right, the kids are already there." He touched Claire's arm. "Come on, we'll pick up your bag and you're going to meet your grandmother."

Claire turned halfway before remembering her Aunt Talia, she quickly hugged her goodbye before following her uncle back to his lab.

It was when they got outside that made Claire stop. Buildings as far as the eye could see, tall enough she had to lean back to see the tops. She had gotten used to the broken shells of buildings on Fastoon. Montay let her take in the scenery. The young female lombax did look quite strange to the onlookers, most of them were used to the scenery but...Claire stuck out.

"Whoa…" She marveled, taking a step back too far. She fell back on someone, causing them and herself to fall. She heard them groan underneath her so she immediately got off. "I'm so sorry." The boy underneath her rubbed his head. "Let me just…" Claire thought around for a moment before she offered her hand to him.

The boy peeked one eye open and took her hand. "Thanks," he muttered. When he was back on his feet he opened his eyes and looked into Claire's eyes. "Whoa…" He smiled and rubbed his hands against his pants.

Claire dropped her eyes and instantly grabbed her loose hair. "What?" She looked at his arms and saw he had cream colored fur with orange stripes, that was new to her but then again everything in the Lombax Dimension was new to her. Plus the only males she really knew were her family members.

"Your eyes." He breathed. "Have they always been like that?" Claire opened her mouth to answer but she stopped when she heard her uncle calling her.

Uncle Montay called. "Come on Claire, we're going to be late!"

"That's my uncle." Claire looked at the boy again, his eyes were a light brown, backing away. "Sorry about running into you." She waved as she turned and ran to catch up with her uncle. "Gotta go. Bye."

The boy smiled. "Bye...Claire." He called out after her. "Hey, Claire! My name is Orion!" Claire smiled back for a moment before getting into Montay's ship and taking off for her grandmother's house.

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 **Thanks for reading! Please leave a review, tell me what you think. See you next chapter!**


	3. Family Ties

**Welcome back. I do hope you are enjoying the story, please enjoy this chapter.**

 **All non-canon characters are mine.**

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Montay entered his mother's house slowly, making Claire stay outside again. "I'm home." He called, looking in various hallways. "Anyone here?"

Becca came from the kitchen. "Welcome home, Montay." She kissed her son on the cheek. "How is Fastoon? Anything new?"

Montay nodded. "A few things but I'd rather wait for everyone to get here before I open my mouth." He glanced around the house again. "Question, Mother. Where are Gracie and Mac?"

"Upstairs in their rooms," Becca replied. "Doing homework."

Like Montay believed that. Mac, maybe but definitely not Gracie. "Mother, before you pick up anything breakable I have a surprise for you." He grabbed his mother and put her facing the door with her eyes closed. Montay then ran up to his children's rooms, getting each of them from their rooms and putting them next to their grandmother. (Malcolm was, in fact, playing video games but he made the effort to make it look like he was doing homework when his father came in. Grace was also not doing homework but did not try to hide it.) Mac humored his father and covered his eyes but Gracie refused. More like pretended he didn't exist.

Montay smiled his best smile and brought Claire quietly in. "Okay, open your eyes." Gracie rolled her eyes and scoffed. Becca opened her eyes and gasped, nearly smothering Claire in an embrace. Mac just waved at Claire.

Claire smiled and embraced her grandmother back. "You must be my grandmother." She had seen the older woman in photos and listened to how her mother described her grandmother.

Becca touched Claire's face. Claire made the prediction that a lot of people were going to be touching her face. "I am. I'm your Grandma Becca." She kissed Claire's forehead. "Montay didn't warn us you were coming."

"It was kind of a last minute thing," Claire admitted. "And I'll be staying for a while, but Uncle Montay will take me home if I need to."

Becca nodded. "You can stay here. It may be a bit crowded since Montay and the kids are staying here too." She pinched Claire's cheeks. "But it won't be a problem, you can share a room with Gracie."

Claire tried to smile but looking at her cousins she felt her heart drop. Gracie was different from her family. Everyone else had a shade of orange but Gracie was white, like their grandfather Alister. Her stripes were orange but her eyes were yellow. She also wore all black and had her bangs dyed black and purple too. She had already known Gracie took after their grandfather but the last family photo she had seen looked so much different than the Gracie of today.

Mac looked as Claire remembered his photo looking, orange fur, yellow stripes, and blue eyes. She finally escaped her grandmother's grip to meet her cousins. She went to Mac first. "Hey, I'm Claire. Your Aunt Kori's kid." Mac did a half nod thing in reply and clicked his tongue. Claire blinked and then moved on to Gracie. "Hey, nice to meet you, Gracie. I like your hair." Gracie rolled her eyes, turned and walked back up the stairs to her room.

Mac whispered to Claire. "Don't worry, she hates everyone." Claire blinked again and turned back to her uncle. Uncle Montay made these kids?

The door handle started to jiggle so Montay and Becca shoved Claire into the kitchen. Rolin entered but stopped when he saw three people in the area in front of the door. "Hey, all." He questioned slowly. "We're not late, Taskmaster made sure of that."

"Quit calling me that," Astrid's voice came from outside.

Montay had Mac go to set the table for everyone, and he smiled as innocently as he could. "Rolin, nice to see you again." He allowed his brother in but didn't let him go near the kitchen. "All the kids could make it today?"

Rolin nodded slowly. "Yeah, Genie just finished hoverboarding so forgive her gear." He reached for Montay's forehead. "Are you okay? Did Gracie finally give you a stroke?" Montay stepped away sharply and held up his hands.

Astrid finally came in the door, carrying all the bags. "Gracie gave you a stroke?" Zeon, Harper, and Genie followed their mother in. Zeon had orange fur, dark orange stripes, and green eyes, and big teal headphones on his head as he bobbed his head to the music blasting through them. Harper had orange fur, red stripes, and blue eyes, with her nose, stuck into an info pad. Genie had orange fur, red stripes, and blue eyes, wearing a purple outfit with all sorts of protective pads, topped off with a big helmet.

Montay groaned and looked at Astrid and Rolin. "Gracie will not give me a stroke." He calmed himself and cleared his throat. "Her mother, however. But now, I have a surprise-"

Genie gasped and jumped up and down, making her helmet temporarily fall in her face. "Did you get a date?"

Montay stopped for a second before replying. "While I appreciate your interest in my love life, little Miss Genie, that is not the surprise." Genie deflated a little but Montay took her helmet off to mess up her hair before putting her helmet back on. "If I could ask that you put down breakable things and I ask you to cover your eyes."

Rolin nodded before pulling off Zeon's headphones. "Hey!" The teen chided before grabbing the headphones back from his dad. He looked at everyone else, his father and sisters had already covered their eyes. "What are we doing?"

Astrid sighed and took her son's hands and put them over his eyes. "That's what we're doing." The rest of them consented. Montay had Claire come back out and stand in front of everyone.

Becca rubbed Claire's shoulders before escaping the kitchen. Claire took a deep breath and smiled big. Montay had everyone open their eyes and they exploded with emotion and motion, more along the lines that Claire had expected.

The little girls, Genie and Harper, clambered over to her asking questions she would have never caught, or been able to answer. Zeon gasped and immediately brought out an info pad and started to do something. Rolin rushed over to hug her and Astrid kissed her forehead. Claire smiled and pulled herself free.

"Hi," Claire commented after they all quieted down. "I take it you all know who I am."

Genie jumped up and down. "You're the reason Daddy and Mommy got married." Claire blinked and looked at her uncle and aunt.

Rolin laughed nervously and looked at Astrid. Astrid smiled. "Actually, Genie, your brother Zeon came first." She elbowed her husband. "Then he finally married me." Rolin grimaced to his brother. Montay whispered at least they knew his brother's factory worked. Rolin then hit Montay.

Zeon kept working on his info pad. "Yeah, thanks for unintentionally causing my conception. Much appreciated." He looked at Claire's stripes. "Which color of your stripes do you prefer, orange or red?"

Claire nodded and shrugged. "No problem, I guess. And I like all my stripes."

Zeon nodded and wrote that down. "Inspired." He shook Claire's hand. "Don't let my mother fool you. I'm Z." Astrid sighed and facepalmed behind her son's back.

Claire nodded. "Right." She went over her cousins again, pointing at each. "So, it's Z, Genie and…" the middle child.

Harper spoke quietly. "Harper."

Genie had several more questions for Claire so they moved to the dining room to answer them. Montay told his son to go get his sister.

"No way, she'll kill me," Mac complained.

"Gracie will not kill you," Montay told his son. Mac complied with his father's wishes.

Genie and Harper sat on both sides of Claire so they couldn't fight over her. Zeon put his headphones back on and kept working on his info pad, sitting across from the girls. Astrid took her son's headphones off as she went past, but told her son that he could keep working on his info pad but headphones had to remain off. Especially while they were having dinner at their grandmother's house. She gave his headphones back as she sat next to him and Rolin next to Genie.

Rolin smiled at Claire. "How long you here for?"

Claire looked around at her family. "Hopefully the whole year, but I can go back at any time if I need to."

Silence fell on the family as footsteps came down the stairs, Grace stomping down the stairs followed by her brother. Mac sat next to his father, Grace sat next to Zeon. Becca sat at the head of the table next to Harper and Montay. It was deafening how silently everyone ate, Claire only looked around and sat for a bit before digging into her own food.

Becca put on her best smile. "You know Claire, how about you tell us how things are on Fastoon."

Claire received a nod from Montay before putting down her spoon and smiling. "Right." She had to think about what was going on Fastoon. "Well...uh." Claire searched until she found what she was looking for. "Franklin," She perked up. "Franklin recently made improvements on Mom's original communication lines, our local electric system, and the compatibility of our father's ship with renewable biofuel." It was at that moment that Claire wished she didn't have so many siblings.

"Ian," Claire started. "Has...started hoverboard training."

Genie smiled. "I bet I could hoverboard circles around him."

Claire nodded. "Me too." She smiled before continuing. "Liza is going to be having her 13th birthday soon and...I won't be there to spend it with her." Claire realized, wilting. The adults at the table exchanged a look of sadness for the 18-year-old.

Zeon cleared his throat. "That's okay. We'll celebrate her birthday here so she'll have two birthdays, we'll get her presents that when you go home you can give them to her." He smirked at his sisters. "It's what I would do for Genie and Harper." Grace next to him scoffed and leaned back in her seat.

Harper smiled at her brother before turning to Claire. Her voice quiet. "What about your Mom and Dad?"

Genie bounced. "And your grandpa."

Claire smiled again. "Well, Grandpa Kaden is glad all us kids don't need babysat anymore, well until Mom has the new baby."

Rolin suddenly choked on his food, Astrid slammed on his back. He coughed and cleared his throat.

Genie leaned over the table to look at her Dad. "Are you okay, Daddy?"

Rolin smiled at Genie, he recovered and told Genie he was fine, and not to lean on the table. Genie listened and did as she was told. "What's this about a new baby?" Rolin asked Claire.

Claire shrugged. "My mom is pregnant again. They're excited."

Astrid smiled. "But Liza is going to be 13 soon, that's quite the age gap."

Montay smiled. "It wasn't exactly on purpose, Astrid."

Claire nodded. "Like me."

Zeon grinned. "And me."

Genie looked at her parents with confusion, Rolin and Astrid diverted the subject. "Anyway," Astrid smiled. "How is schooling going?" She asked the children.

Zeon shrugged. "Okay, I guess." Grace groaned and rolled her eyes. Mac shrugged. Harper gasped and clapped her hands together, Genie bounced with a wide smile.

Claire smirked. "I don't go to school." The rest of the children looked at her. "What?" She shrugged. "I live on a mostly deserted planet, there isn't exactly a school system set in place that wasn't just my parents teaching my siblings and me how to do things. I learned to use my hoverboots when I was 5," She smiled. "My grandpa taught me."

Genie grinned big. "Daddy, can I go to Fastoon?"

Rolin shrugged and took a drink. "When you're my age."

Genie frowned and slumped in her chair. "But you're so old." Astrid giggled and Rolin shrugged. Compared to 10-year-old Genie, yes Rolin was.

Suddenly Grace violently shoved herself away from the table, kicked her chair back in and stomped up the stairs. She went up to her room and slammed the door behind her. Montay sighed and put his face in his hands. Mac continued as if nothing happened. Everyone else was still, looking at each other and Montay. Montay excused himself and followed Grace.

Zeon cleared his throat and looked at his cousin Claire. "So...that's Grace." He shrugged. "She does that a lot."

Mac nodded. "Her chair has dents in it."

Claire had the realization, the last several family pictures they got from Montay didn't have Mac and Grace's mother in them. She excused herself from the table, making the excuse she needed fresh air. Claire went out to her grandmother's front stoop and took a breather. Montay had never mentioned Mac and Grace's mother, besides the fact that she was always busy. Claire held her head and focused on her family. Wondering if that could happen to her parents.

"Hey, you're Claire aren't you?" A male voice interrupted above her. Claire looked up and saw the boy who yelled after her. Orion, he said his name was.

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 **Thank you so much for reading this chapter. Please leave a review, tell me what you think. See you next chapter. Artemisia, out.**


	4. A Father's Fear

**Hello again. I do hope you are enjoying the story so far. Here is our next chapter. Please, enjoy.**

 **All non-canon characters are mine.**

* * *

Orion. Claire looked up at him.

Claire smiled and stood up. "And you're Orion." She laughed and rubbed the back of her neck. "Sorry again about running you over earlier."

Orion shrugged. "It's not like I have any marks." He smiled. "I've never seen you around here before. I'd remember eyes like those anywhere."

Claire tried to smile normally. "Yeah...I don't get out too much." She activated her hoverboots to hover for a moment. "I'm always busy practicing."

"I saw you leaving the research facility." Orion nodded. "Don't tell me you're an experiment, that would be disappointing that a girl like you isn't real."

Claire laughed and shook her head. "No, my uncle works there. He was just showing me around, I finally got time to see it for myself." She invited him to sit on the stoop with her. "Finally getting out of my bubble."

Orion nodded and sat down next to her. "What are you doing out here anyway?"

"Getting some air." Claire sighed. "Family stuff just had to get away." She waved her hand toward the door behind them.

"I get that." Orion leaned back and looked forward. "Your folks here?"

She shook her head. "Nope, just me."

The door behind them opened to have Rolin appear. "Hey Claire, we're starting dessert." He stopped as he saw Orion. "Oh, you made a friend." He came outside and offered his hand to Orion. "I'm Rolin Azimuth, Claire's uncle."

Orion looked at Claire before shaking Rolin's hand. "Orion Vital." He got off the stoop and backed down the walk. "I should get going," He nodded at Claire. "Enjoy your dessert, see you around Claire." Orion turned and walked away.

Claire waved goodbye before going back in. Rolin stopped her in the hallway before the dining room. "Sorry, I scared your friend away."

"It's okay." Claire smiled. "I just met him today, I don't know if I'll even see him again." She looked out the window to watch Orion walk down the street and into the night.

They had a delightful dessert, strawberry pudding, and then they talked about where Claire would be staying. Genie and Harper begged their parents and grandmother that Claire could stay at their house. Mac and Zeon didn't care. Claire decided to stick with Rolin and Astrid, as her cousins weren't too different from her siblings.

Zeon shrugged. "I get to keep my room, though."

"Why would I want your stinky boy room?" Claire smiled.

Zeon laughed. "My room is awesome," he smirked. "And it doesn't stink."

Harper looked at her parents. "Anymore." Rolin and Astrid both chose that moment to look away and focus on dishes.

Zeon turned on his parents. "Is that why I keep finding air fresheners in my room?"

Astrid smiled. "Don't be silly, Zeon." She pointed at Rolin. "It was your father's idea." Rolin jumped back gasping.

"Traitor!" Rolin smiled and wrapped his arms around Astrid. He tried to kiss her but she shoved her wet soapy hand in his face. "Foiled again," Rolin smirked, rubbing his face off. Zeon cheered for his mother as she got another shot in on Rolin's head. Genie cheered for their father while Harper was too busy laughing.

Becca smiled at Claire. "You can always stay here if things ever get too crazy for you."

Claire watched her aunt and uncle 'fighting' in the kitchen and her cousins cheering for either parent. She smiled at her grandmother. "It's like it is back home. I might even have fun this year."

Somehow the dishes finally got done, the sink water halved and both Astrid and Rolin wet. Claire grabbed her bag, said goodbye to her grandmother, Montay, and Mac. Grace was locked up in her room, so Claire told Mac to tell Grace she said bye. And she joined Rolin and family in their ship and went back to their home.

Zeon sat next to Claire. "What is your mom like, Claire? We've asked dad but he's biased."

Rolin started to protest but Astrid shut him down. Claire smiled. "My mom…" She looked out the ship window. "She's a gentle force of nature. A sturdy foundation." Claire leaned back in her seat, partly in her own little world. "It was really her love of Fastoon that made our family start restoring it, and all the late night spending time with my dad that made them fall in love."

The ship went quiet but Claire kept going. "My dad still leaves to save the universe. He almost missed my birth because he was out doing hero work. He once left when Mom was pregnant with Ian, she never once said a bad thing about him. Only that he better come back before the baby came." She sighed. "He told my mom that he retired when we found out about Liza, but sure enough he had to leave." Claire still smiled. "Mom told him that the universe needed him and that we would be waiting for him when he came back."

"He always came back." Claire finished.

Rolin smiled sadly. "It's hard having a dad who saves the universe all the time, huh?"

Claire nodded. "Yeah, but it's what he does. It's his job, but my mom always reminds him that we're waiting for him to come back."

Genie frowned and looked at her father. "Glad Daddy doesn't do anything dangerous."

Harper shrugged. "Besides trying to cook."

"I only burned my hand once." Rolin defended. "And I don't need to be attacked like this. There are things your mother is bad at."

Zeon laughed. "Like what?"

Astrid smiled. "Yeah, Rolin. Like what?"

Rolin thought for a moment. "I'm not going to dig myself into a hole. Besides, I can't think of anything."

Astrid leaned over and kissed Rolin's cheek. "That's what I thought."

Rolin smirked and tickled his wife's side. "No distracting the driver." Astrid's response to this was to drag her fingers along his back and neck, making his hair stand up on end. "I'm going to make you pay for this later, Astrid."

They got home in one piece, the kids let themselves in as their parents were busy. Claire got to sleep on the couch, after telling more stories about Fastoon. They were all sent to bed after Rolin and Astrid came into the house, hours later and disheveled.

"I better not get another sister," Zeon stated, running away from his parents.

"Don't plan on it," Astrid yelled back. "Bedtime, let's leave Claire alone." She told the girls, to lead them and get them ready for bed.

Rolin smoothed out his clothes and sat next to Claire. "Sorry we're a bit...energetic." He laughed.

Claire smiled. "It's okay." She nodded. "It reminds me of home." Rolin smiled and wished Claire goodnight before he left. After staying up awhile Claire finally fell asleep but in her excitement she woke up early, leaving a note for her aunt and uncle that she was out exploring the city and that if they needed her they could call her.

She walked to the main city, which compared to anything on Fastoon wasn't very far. Claire liked that there weren't so many people awake at the hour, so there was less chance of running into people. She was passing shops, just to look into their windows. There were things she didn't know existed and things she had seen back home. Claire sped up her exploration by activating her hoverboots and jetting around until she came to a park.

She stopped and sat on a park bench to watch the scenery. They didn't have parks on Fastoon, at least not yet. Her brother was much more concerned about being sustainable. The air was cleaner in this part of the city, and the plant life was quite nice.

"Hey, Azimuth." Someone called but Claire ignored them. "Hey, Claire." She turned and saw Orion with someone else, a smaller female lombax.

When they got close enough Claire scoffed. "Don't call me Azimuth." She frowned and crossed her arms. "I know who my grandfather is. I don't need to be reminded of it."

Orion faltered. "Sorry." He cleared his throat and introduced Claire to his friend. "This is Viv." Viv went to Claire and shook her hand.

Viv was smaller than both Claire and Orion, her coat was dark but her stripes were darker. Her eyes were almost colorless. "Orion says your eyes are something to behold."

Orion laughed nervously. "I didn't say that…" He rubbed the back of his neck. "But you should see them, Viv."

"If only, Rion." Viv turned to Orion and scoffed. She shuffled until she sat down next to Claire. "I've seen everything before."

Orion shook his head and sighed. "Everything is so black and white to you." He went up to Claire. "See I told Viv that your eyes are two different colors, but she says that's impossible."

Claire smiled. "I got one green eye from my dad and one blue eye from my mom." She shook her head. "Two eyes of different colors isn't so big of a thing. My grandpa has two colored eyes but he's also blind in one eye so."

Orion nodded before he looked at her with confusion. "I thought your grandfather was banned from coming here."

"My dad's dad." Claire corrected. "My mother's father is the one your thinking of."

Orion sat on Claire's other side. "Right, I thought he only had two kids."

"Three, my mother was his daughter." Claire sighed. "Kori Azimuth."

Viv nodded. "Good job, Orion. Remind the poor girl of her dead mother."

Claire smiled sadly and looked away. Orion flinched and tried to push Viv off the bench. "Listen, I'm sorry. I didn't mean…"

Claire shrugged. "It's okay. I didn't really know her anyway." She relaxed against the bench, purposefully looking away. "It was a long time ago." Claire felt her chest tighten, she just had to get away. She got up and took off on her hoverboots.

Orion groaned and followed after Claire. "I'm sorry, Claire. I wasn't thinking." He ran to keep up with her. "Viv is a bit blunt too." Orion picked up the pace and lunged, grasping Claire's wrist, stopping her. "I just can't say how sorry I am." He pulled her back. "I'll buy you breakfast."

Claire deactivated her hoverboots, landing softly on the ground. She still didn't look at Orion. Her heart broke, to imagine that her mother was dead. To imagine that all her siblings had never existed and that she was truly all alone. In this world her family was dead. Her grandfather, father, mother, and her siblings didn't exist. Her world, Fastoon, didn't exist.

"I'm not hungry." Claire pulled her wrist from Orion. "Please leave me alone."

Orion frowned and moved to be next to her. "Let me make it up to you." He slipped his hand into hers. "I know that'll be difficult or may take a while."

Claire shook her head. "I'm just going to go home." She pulled her hand from Orion's and took off again.

Orion called out to her. "I'm sorry!" He kicked his foot and met back up with Viv.

Claire went as fast as her hoverboots let her, zooming down streets and walkways until she came to Rolin and Astrid's house. Astrid had opened the door to leave for work, Claire zoomed in, deactivated her boots to run through the house and into the bathroom.

Rolin, Zeon, Genie, and Harper were sitting at the table and all they saw was a honey-colored streak go past them. Astrid blinked for a moment before she told the kids to hurry up, it looked like she was taking them to school. Breakfasts were scarfed down or taken with them, and they hurried out the door with their mother. Rolin sighed and took his coffee with him to the bathroom door.

"Claire?" He knocked a little. "Please tell me that's you in my bathroom and not some random burglar trying to steal some soap that we probably just ran out of." Rolin lowered himself down to the ground, slowly, and sat outside the bathroom door. "That might be hard to explain to your aunt."

Claire sniffled. "I don't know how you do it." She rubbed her eyes. "How can you go through every day pretending Mom is dead? That my home doesn't exist."

Rolin leaned against the wall. "It does make me sad." He nodded. "But I miss my sister all the time. I remember teasing her, hanging out with her. Sure we annoyed one another but that's what brothers and sisters do." Rolin shrugged. "Even though it makes me sad I know that my sister isn't gone, I know she's out there rebuilding a world by hand that all us other lombaxes gave up on. I know my sister is doing something amazing." He tapped the door. "She's being a mom to you and your siblings on a desert planet that hasn't been lived on in ages. You were the first Lombax born on Fastoon in so long, but you know what? Your Uncle Montay was there when you were born, he could have easily brought your mother here and you could have been born here."

Claire sighed and rested her head on her knees. "But I wasn't."

"No, you weren't." Rolin nodded. "I know pretending that your mom is gone is hard but you have to remember that she's not. Your mother is perfectly fine on Fastoon, she isn't one of those crazy ones that risks her life every three seconds." He faced the door. "And if you so wish, you can go home right now. You can see and hold your mother. I can tell you that how much you are missing your mother right now, she is missing you just as much, if not more."

Claire sighed and sat on the bathroom floor. "Do you think I should go home?"

"That's all you, kid." Rolin smiled. "I can call Montay right now." He shrugged. "Or you can stick it out, learn what this world has to offer you. Not every day is going to be fun but you just need to remember is that this world is cold. It is the warmth of friendships and family that help the chill."

Claire smiled and opened the door. "Are you always this philosophical?"

"Only when I need to be." Rolin stood back up and smiled at Claire. "But I'm the middle child of my family, I understand bridging between two cliffs. Kori and Montay didn't always get along, and guess who fixed the rifts."

Claire sighed and rubbed away her tears. "I'll stick around for a while longer."

Rolin wrapped an arm around her. "That's my girl." He kissed the top of her head. "Now, don't let my kids fool you. What would you like for breakfast?"

Claire looked up her uncle and shook her head. "I've already got someone willing to get me breakfast, I should find him."

Rolin laughed and messed up her hair. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"Says the guy who married the girl he got pregnant." Claire pulled herself from his grasp, taking off.

Rolin smiled and sat back at the table. "Call it what you will. That was the happiest day of my life." He said to himself, picking up the still of his wedding day. Pregnant Astrid and all.

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 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please leave a review, tell me what you think. See you next chapter.**


	5. Dare of Claire

**Welcome back. Hope you are enjoying to story so far. Here is our next chapter. Enjoy.**

 **All non-canon characters are mine.**

* * *

He was sitting on the park bench she had been sitting on. Orion heard her hoverboots before he saw her. She approached him with a smile. "Hey." She nodded.

Orion stood and rubbed the back of his neck. "Look, I'm sorry but-"

Claire held up her hand. "It's okay, I just needed to talk to an old Lombax who knows more than me." She smiled. "What is this about breakfast?"

Orion smiled. "So, you're not mad?"

"No." She said. "I miss my mom and that won't go away. I just needed to remember that just because she's gone to this world, she's not in mine."

"That's deep." Orion nodded. "I...uh...know a good waffle place?"

Claire smiled. "Sounds good to me." She let him lead her. "Sorry about my uncle Rolin yesterday too. He apologized for scaring you away."

Orion laughed nervously. "He didn't scare me away. I was just...surprised."

"By what?"

Orion sighed and answered honestly. "The fact you're an Azimuth. My mother warned me against getting involved with your family."

She thought about this. "So just because my grandfather messed up my family has to pay that price?"

Orion shrugged. "Sorry, a lot of old folks are still mad they had to leave Polaris. My parents weren't even born yet when they left." He sighed and looked up at the sky. "But can you imagine what it looked like? What...Fastoon looked like?"

Claire smiled. "All the time."

Orion looked at her for a moment, rubbing the back of his neck. "Sorry, my grandparents talk about the place all the time. Like it's paradise or something."

"Like it's where we belong or something." She smiled. "It's home."

Orion laughed and looked away from Claire. "I know it's stupid to daydream about a place we could never go back to."

"No, it's not." Claire smiled. "Because advancements are being made every day. I bet one day we'll be able to go back with our heads held high and reclaim our lost world."

Orion grinned. "Your uncle at the research facility must be doing important work."

"I believe he is." Claire nodded, smiling. Orion smiled back and led her into a restaurant, ordering two of their best waffles. When they arrived Orion was baffled he had to show Claire how to properly eat a waffle. They talked for a long while, about themselves and their families.

"Hey, Claire!" A voice called from outside, the pair turned to see Zeon, Harper, Genie, Mac, and Grace standing outside. Genie waved wildly and motioned for her to come outside.

Claire smiled at Orion. "Do excuse me, I am being summoned." Orion got up to pay as Claire went out to meet the group. "Hey, bunch. What are we doing here?"

Zeon shrugged. "We were walking to Grandma Becca's house from school until Gene saw you so we had to stop." He looked at the restaurant and smiled. "Were you on a date?"

Claire smiled and shook her head. "No, just breakfast with a friend."

Mac grinned. "Claire, breakfast was hours ago." He pointed and laughed. "You were on a date."

Claire kept denying this fact to her cousins, not getting a word in until Orion came out to find the commotion silenced itself. Orion looked at all of them with a raised eyebrow, Mac snickered behind his sister Grace.

Claire smiled and kept Genie, the smallest one but the biggest mouth, behind her. "Hey, these are my lovely cousins I was telling you about."

Zeon teased. "You talked about us? How sweet."

Orion smiled. "Yeah, but you don't know what she said." Grace scoffed and continued walking.

Claire nodded. "I better get these guys to our grandmother's before Gracie beats us there." She quickly pushed her cousins along, waving goodbye to Orion.

Orion waved slowly. "Bye Claire."

When they turned the corner onto their grandmother's street Zeon and Mac burst out laughing. Claire scolded them. "It wasn't a date."

Genie smiled. "Were you two the only ones there?"

"Yes."

Harper walked backward in front. "Did he pay?"

"Yes."

Zeon elbowed her. "You just had a date."

Claire groaned internally. "I just had my first ever date and I spent it talking about all of you."

Grace turned around, seamlessly walking backward and looked at the group. "How boring must he be to actually listen to things about us?"

Mac told Zeon to stop the timer. Zeon quickly stopped the timer and announced the results. "78 hours, 56 minutes, 23 seconds and 12 nanoseconds." He marveled. "That's a new record, Gracie."

"Grace." She corrected him. "I hate Gracie."

Zeon apologized while Grace turned forward again and kept walking. Mac had Zeon restart the timer after the time was written down. Claire frowned. "You keep a timer on how long Grace goes without talking?"

Mac nodded. "Yup, her old record was just over 24 hours."

"Zeon get rid of the timer," Claire said. "That's a cruel thing to do to your sister, Mac. Grace doesn't need her silences to be timed, she'll talk when she wants to talk."

Grace scoffed. "What if I don't want to talk?"

Claire shrugged. "Then you don't talk, it's your choice." She kept walking next to the group. "Your life is full of choices, you yourself have to make them."

Grace rolled her eyes. Genie spoke up. "Claire, why didn't you talk about your brothers and sister?"

Claire looked around for anyone before she replied. "Because, Genie," She whispered. "In this world, my siblings and I don't exist. Our mother died before we were born."

Zeon nodded. "Yeah." He whispered. "Your mom died here a long while before you were born. When she left to live on Fastoon, they said she died in an accident. Our dad loafed around for years before he and Mom made me."

Harper spoke up. "It was when Uncle Montay first brought home a picture of you." Her voice quiet. "Daddy felt like living again."

Mac whispered too. "We're going to have to talk to our parents about this. If anyone asks for Claire's birthday, we can't give the real one. Her mom would have been dead at least 9 years by the time she was born." He looked at Claire. "How old are you okay with acting?"

"Not old enough." Claire shook her head. "I'd be about 30."

Grace sighed. "Then maybe you should have thought more before you came here." They came to the door of their grandmother's and the children hurried inside. They all sat at the table while their grandmother made snacks for them.

Claire smiled at her grandmother. "Grandma, we've run into a bit of a snag." They explained their discovery with their grandmother.

Becca looked at the clock. "Montay should be home here soon and Rolin will be here to pick up you kids, we can discuss this then." She told the rest of the children to get started on homework, and she told Claire to help her in the kitchen.

Claire started to help her grandmother make a pie, cherry. Becca listed off everything she needed Claire to do but the younger lombax wasn't paying attention. She was mostly wondering why of all things was she making a pie, instead of helping make up a conspiracy plan with her other family members.

"Just like her mother," Becca said. Claire perked to attention to see her grandmother smiling at her with her uncles in the kitchen door. "Welcome back, Claire." Her grandmother smiled. "Go to your uncles."

Claire kissed her grandmother on the cheek before joining her family at the table. Montay cleared his throat to bring the family to attention. "Alright, as all of you know, we have a big problem."

Rolin nodded. "Any ideas how to fix it?"

Genie raised her hand. Rolin called on the littlest one down in front. Genie giggled. "We could brainwash people into not asking Claire her age."

Montay and Rolin looked at each other. Montay pretended to think for a while. "No dice, kid." He shook his head. "I'm not allowed to brainwash people, plus the brainwasher is on the fritz." He pointed at Genie. "But 2 points for out of the box thinking."

Genie disappeared for a moment to put two stickers on an "Out of Box" digital board on Becca's fridge. Harper raised her hand in the meantime. Montay called on her. Harper said something but all that came out was a whisper. "Louder for the old people in the room, sweetheart," Rolin leaned on the table and put his hand behind his ear.

Montay snickered and commented 'the old person' pointing at Rolin. Rolin hit his brother. Harper took a deep breath and spoke her loudest or normal volume for most beings. "We could move away."

Rolin thought for a moment. "Mom's commute is long enough, sweetheart." He shrugged. "Then there is new schools and a new house."

Zeon smiled at his dad and put his hand on Harper's head. "Dad, which child of yours is this?"

Rolin sighed. "There are three of you and only one of me, you know getting your names right is the bane of my existence." He looked at Harper who whispered her name to him. "Harper. That one is Harper the other two are Zeon and Ginny."

"Genie!" Genie stood up on her chair. Rolin corrected himself and made Genie sit back down.

Grace groaned and slammed her textbook closed. "Why don't we just change the date on the grave? Our family is the one who commissioned the thing, so tell them the date is wrong. Get Claire a birth record and make the new date shortly after her birthdate. Then have all the records changed to accommodate, sighting Claire's birth certificate, and retractions in all the news articles. Then everyone who attended the memorial will hold it up to false memories." She looked at everyone who was staring at her. "What?"

Montay smiled and kissed Grace's head. "It's just nice to hear your voice again, Gracie. And that's why you're my smart girl." Grace shooed her father away and went back to her school work. Rolin and Montay set off to work on Grace's plan.

Claire looked at Grace for a moment before getting up and approaching her uncle Montay. "Uncle Montay?"

"Yes, Claire?" Montay asked, busy contacting the council for Claire's still nonexistent birth record.

"Grace doesn't want to be called Gracie anymore," Claire said. "She wants to be called Grace."

Montay looked at Grace for a moment. "No problem. Thanks for telling me." He finally got through. "Yes, I need my niece Claire Azimuth's birth certificate. It appears my mother misplaced it." Montay walked away from Claire, he knew the day she was born. He was there after all.

Astrid finally came to pick up her husband and children, who were supposed to be home hours ago and working on homework. Not conspiracy theories. Claire decided that night to write her mother a letter. To let her mother know that even though Claire was away from home, she still thought about her family.

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 **Thank you for reading! Please leave a review! See you next chapter!**


	6. Orion's Belt

**Welcome back, I hope you are enjoying the story so far. Here is the newest chapter, enjoy.**

 **All non-canon characters are mine.**

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Orion being found outside Rolin and Astrid's house became very commonplace as a month passed. Claire and he had begun hanging out regularly, they were both at the age when they had finished schooling but not quite ready to get jobs yet. While it was common for late teen, early twenty lombaxes to jump right into their lives past higher education, it is acceptable that they not. Plus Claire was only there for a year, why get a job if she was going to leave?

They wandered the city together until Claire met up with the kids, Orion careful not to bring Viv around Claire. The two of them were having lunch together at their waffle place when Orion brought up an idea. "Hey, my parents have been asking to meet you." He said, rubbing the back of his neck.

Claire raised an eyebrow. "I'm not your girlfriend. Why would I meet your parents?" She shrugged. "It's not like you can meet mine." Their food arrived and the two of them dug in.

Orion smiled. "I've met your aunt and uncle, they're like your parents." He quickly ate another piece before speaking. "I've met your lovely cousins, they're like your siblings."

"That they are but not the same." Claire wagged her fork at him. "Besides I think little Genie likes you."

Orion shrugged. "She's cute but not old enough for me. Have to let her down lightly." He smiled at Claire. "Her older cousin has my eye though."

"Grace?" Claire scrunched up her nose.

Orion stuck his tongue out at Claire. "Older."

Claire giggled. "Zeon?"

"Charming guy but still not my type." Orion leaned onto the table and lifted his eyebrows at Claire.

Claire knew the answer but she wanted to play along. "Who could have your eye? They should give it back, it's very rude to take people's eyes." She finished her plate and pushed it away.

Orion shrugged. "I think she knows."

Claire tapped her fingers on the table. "She does but she's not in a position to have it in her possession." She lowered her eyes and moved the food on her plate around a little.

Orion nodded. "That's understandable. But she can have it until I've won hers." He smiled at her.

Claire smiled sadly. "We'll see." 11 months left, the calendar felt like a ticking time bomb. She straightened up. "I'll talk to Uncle Rolin and Aunt Astrid, see what day they'll let me go for dinner. You talk to your folks."

Orion extended his hand to her. "I'll agree to that." She shook his hand, smiling. Orion looked past her. "Your party is here."

Claire smiled and turned to leave. "One of these days I'm going to have to pay you back." She got from her seat and hugged him before going out to meet her cousins.

Orion smiled to himself. "It's not a problem." He paid for their meal, said goodbye to their server and met up with Viv. He found her not far away from the restaurant, leaning against a wall. "Hey, Viv."

Viv shrugged. "Hey, Rion." She turned to him. "How's Claire?" Viv tried to ask nicely.

"She's fine." He sat on the ground next to Viv. "I told Claire how I felt today."

"And?" Viv extended her arm, encouraging Orion to continue.

Orion sighed. "She said she 'wasn't in the position' to like me back." He added quotes but it was not like Viv could see him.

Viv scoffed. "Who says that? Does she have a boyfriend already or something?" The shorter lombax crossed her arms and shook her head.

"She's never mentioned anyone and the only people I've seen with her is her family." Orion sighed.

Viv groaned and knocked lightly on the top of Orion's head. "Why don't you just forget about her and find someone else?" She knelt down to him. "Find someone better."

Orion shook his head. "You don't get it, Viv. I feel drawn to her like I belong in her orbit." He sighed happily. "There is something different about her I've never seen in anyone else." Orion smiled to himself and rested his head against the building behind them.

"What? Like her wonky eyes?" Viv asked, trying hard not to scoff.

Orion rolled his eyes. "Her eyes, yes but they're not wonky." He rubbed the back of his neck. "When I first saw her it was like the world was new, the way she was looking at it and when we find something on our walks it's like her eye for the fine details even in the mundane." He smiled. "She even told me she daydreamed about Fastoon too."

Viv rubbed her temple. "Fastoon is gone, Orion. It was her grandfather that got all of us stuck here and destroyed Fastoon."

"Claire says-"

Viv groaned and grabbed the sides of her head. "I don't care what Claire says. She's misguided like her grandfather Alister, a crackpot that let that cragmite destroy us and made us run away from our ancestral home." She took a breath. "See what she is doing, Orion? She's tearing us apart."

Orion shook his head slowly. "That's not Claire." He turned away and started walking. "I'll see you later Viv," He said to her, Viv called out to him but he kept on walking.

He walked home alone. Orion walked passed Becca's house. He looked in the window to see the kids around the table. Claire was telling a story, acting dramatically and making grand gestures. Their laughter was heard on the outside of the house, the one named Grace even smiled. Orion smiled and kept walking on home.

"Hey, Orion." A voice called behind him. He turned to see the eldest Azimuth kid, Zeon at the door. "Want to come in? Grandma Becca is going to tell us a story about the old country." Zeon nodded inside. "Claire said you like stories about Fastoon and Polaris."

Orion smiled. "No, thank you though." He put his hands in his pockets. "I should be getting home."

Zeon nodded. "Sure." He smiled at Orion. "Thanks for taking care of Claire. See you tomorrow."

Orion waved. "See you tomorrow." He made the rest of his way home, entering his house quietly. He tiptoed until he was halfway to the kitchen. Orion took a deep breath and then yelled, "MOM, I'M HOME!"

A chorus of clangs rang out from the kitchen. "Orion you were lucky I wasn't holding anything breakable." His mother called. "Wait until your father gets home."

Orion smiled and walked into the kitchen, his mother looked just like him. "Claire said she'd ask when she can come over."

Orion's mother, Stella, raised an eyebrow. "Am I ever going to meet her parents?"

Orion knocked his knuckles against the kitchen counter. "She kind of lives with her aunt and uncle, her parents died a long time ago."

Stella stopped for a moment. "Oh," she said quietly. "Well do I know her aunt and uncle then?"

"I don't think so." Orion danced around the subject. "They're not really… out there. They, uh, mostly keep to themselves."

Stella nodded. "Okay." She smiled at Orion. "Are you seeing Claire tomorrow?"

Orion shrugged. "Maybe, you know, if she wants to." He tried not to smile at the thought of seeing Claire again.

Orion and Stella looked at the door as his father came in. "Honey, I'm home." Cassius, Orion's father, walked into the kitchen and saw his son. "Oh, my son is home before I am for once. Who are you and what have you done with Orion?"

Orion moved rigidly and moved toward Cassius. "I am Orion 2.0, your free upgrade."

Cassius ruffled his son's hair. "The original was good enough." He smiled at his son, "so did you ask her?"

Orion shrugged. Stella answered. "She's asking her guardians." They debriefed Cassius on Claire's interesting homelife situation and settled in for dinner. About a week later the parental units of the teens decided that they would have dinner together and Claire's uncle would come. Her aunt was busy taking care of the other children in the household, even though Zeon told his mother he could handle making dinner and watching Genie and Harper but whatever.

Rolin decided that they should meet at a nice restaurant, neutral ground as one might say, in case anything should occur.

They waited to make introductions until everyone was sat at the table. Cassius introduced himself, wife, and son to Rolin and Claire. Rolin smiled. "Nice to meet you. Unfortunately, my wife, Astrid couldn't be with us but, I am Rolin Azimuth and this is my darling niece Claire."

Cassius and Stella looked at each other for a moment. Orion spoke up. "So...this food looks pretty good." He started to serve himself.

Rolin nodded. "It looks delicious, why don't we dig in?"

The dinner was silent for too long. Everyone but Claire kept their eyes on their food in front of them. She looked at them all, Stella and Cassius stiff and careful in their movements and Rolin relaxed. As if Rolin had experienced this sort of thing with Astrid's parents years ago. Across from her Orion sighed, he glanced at her for a moment before just moving his food around on his plate.

Claire lost her appetite while Rolin acted as if nothing happened. She knew the awkwardness was from her last name, which really wasn't even her last name. All because of the name Azimuth. It is just a name, why should it matter? Claire remembered something her mother had told her a long time ago, her uncle Rolin wanted to join the Guard but because he was an Azimuth they barred his entrance. Her uncle Montay had a superior tell him right to his face that he would never get anywhere because he was an Azimuth. Her mother could only get a lowly job of a Telecommunications Operator when Kori had rebuilt most if not all of Fastoon's communications lines by herself.

And even though she was part Azimuth, Claire remembered that half of her had the "Azimuth" stripes, she had to live in the shadow of her grandfather. A grandfather she never knew nor truly carried about living his legacy. Even her Grandpa Kaden, who told Alister to not trust Tachyon, didn't hold so much as contempt for the lombax. And there were lombaxes out there who never knew her grandfather but still hated her family because they were related to him.

Claire sighed and looked at Orion. "Sorry. I can't do this." She looked at Cassius and Stella, frustrated. "I know you've heard about the Azimuths, how rotten my grandfather was. Well, we're not him." Claire frowned. "I'm not like him, at least I hope not. And my uncle doesn't even remember his father."

Rolin stopped Claire. "That's enough." He calmly stood up. "It has been wonderful, thank you for agreeing to meet me and my niece. But we should be heading home, my youngest probably needs help with her homework." Rolin pulled out Claire's chair. "Come on, Claire."

Orion stood before Claire could. "Wait, don't leave yet." He looked at the rest of the group. "I know this hasn't been the best dinner ever but we can still fix it."

Stella looked at Rolin and Claire. "We apologize for our behavior." She smiled weakly. "We've heard so much about Claire, I know for me personally I didn't expect her to have such a significant family."

Cassius nodded. "One has to understand our shock. Orion told us almost nothing about who Claire was, only how she was."

Orion sat down. "I didn't want you to tell me not to talk to her anymore." He slumped and crossed his arms.

Stella smiled at Orion. "We wouldn't do that."

Claire looked at Rolin before looking back at Stella. "You wouldn't?" She asked while Rolin tried to hide his smile.

Stella turned and smiled at Claire and Rolin. "No, you're a good kid."

Claire looked at Rolin. "Zeon can help Genie." Rolin smiled at Claire and sat back down.

"So," Cassius cleared his throat. "You have more kids?"

Rolin nodded. "Three more." He smiled and lightly elbowed Claire. "One boy and two girls."

Stella smiled. "Orion is our only child." She laughed. "We always meant to have another child but we never got around to it."

Claire looked at Stella and Cassius. "My cousins are like my siblings, it doesn't feel like I'm an only child at all."

"Yeah." Rolin patted Claire's shoulder. "Four kids is enough for our family." He smiled at Orion. "Though a fifth one has been found on my front lawn in the mornings."

Orion rubbed the back of his neck, laughing nervously. Stella gasped at her son. "Is that where you've been disappearing to?"

"Only in the mornings." Orion smiled.

Claire laughed. "Don't worry I get him off this old man's lawn." She poked Rolin. "I enjoy our morning walks around the city. You can see the city in a way it doesn't look like during the rest of the day."

Rolin shook his head, a smirk on his face. "I'm not old." He poked Claire's head. "And at least you get out of the house. If Harper had her way she'd never leave the house."

Claire opened her mouth to explain who Harper was but Orion spoke up. "Harper is their middle kid, she's quiet and likes to read."

"I clearly talk about my family too much." Claire smiled.

Orion smiled back. "Yeah, not that I mind it."

The rest of the dinner was delightful, parents exchanged information so they could find their children easier. Rolin and Claire were about to head home when they got a call from Montay. Grace wanted to talk to Claire.

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 **Thank** **you for reading. Please leave me a review, I'd love to know what you think. See you next chapter!**


	7. By The Light of Grace

**Welcome back to the story! Hope you are enjoying it! I know I enjoyed writing it. For a while, this story was all mine and now I am sharing it with all of you.**

 **All non-canon characters are mine.**

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Montay greeted Rolin and Claire at the door. He took them to the kitchen table, "Thank you for coming. I was hoping you weren't busy."

Rolin nodded as he sat. "We were just having dinner with Claire's boyfriend and his parents." He teased.

"He's not…" Claire hit Rolin, Rolin laughed in return. "He's not my boyfriend besides we're here for Grace."

Montay sat across from Rolin and Claire. "I was told Grace had an…. altercation at school today."

Rolin blinked. "Is she okay?"

Montay wrung his hands. "She won't come out of her room. Mac won't tell me anything. But the one thing I was able to get out of her was that she wanted to-"

"Talk to me." Claire finished. She looked at her uncles. "Why would she want to talk to me?"

Rolin shrugged. "Who knows? But you're who she wants."

Montay held up his hands. "There are plenty of things that I didn't want to tell your mother, Claire." He took a deep breath. "But you need to know. Grace has been having trouble since her mother and I….separated. Mac is transitioning, so am I but Grace…"

Rolin nodded. "It's like she's rebelling. We're trying to let her have the time she needs." He looked at his brother. "You know Astrid and I are here if you need us."

Claire sat quietly, thinking about what she would say to Grace. Montay smiled at Rolin. "Sometimes I wonder if I did the right thing taking the kids and leaving." He shook his head. "I just can't help but worry I'm screwing up my children."

Rolin frowned at Montay. "It'll be okay, Montay." Claire quietly got up and went to Grace's door.

She gently knocked. "Grace, it's me," Claire spoke carefully. "May I come in?" The door opened the smallest bit in front of her which Claire took as permission. The room was dark but because Grace was white she was easy to find, even in the dark room. The 15-year-old was curled up on the floor, hugging her knees. Claire sat down in front of her. "Hey."

Grace looked at Claire for a moment before lifting her mouth above her arms to reply. "Hey."

Claire adjusted herself on the floor. "Your dad told us you had an altercation." She moved closer to Grace. "Are you okay?"

Grace sighed. "I'm fine." She rolled her eyes. "I'm always fine."

Claire smiled a little bit. "You don't have to be, and no one expects you to be." She put her hand on Grace's foot. "If you want you can tell me what happened and why you got into trouble."

Grace sighed and lowered her arms. "These kids were making fun of Mac." She lowered her eyes to her knees. "They were picking on him and calling him all sorts of names. Some I can't even repeat so I…" Grace looked at her hands for a moment before turning to Claire. "A teacher caught me and told my dad."

Claire nodded. "While I can't say beating up other kids was a good thing but sticking up for Mac was awesome." She smiled at Grace. "You're being his big sister." Claire moved to sit next to Grace. "Your dad would understand, he's an older sibling too."

Grace sighed and looked away. "I couldn't tell him." She frowned. "I can't disappoint him any more than I already have."

"He's not disappointed in you Grace." Claire smiled her cousin. "He's worried about you."

"He doesn't have to be." Grace scoffed. "He shouldn't be because I'm fine."

Claire sighed. "He's your Dad, Grace. It's his job to worry about you." She closed her eyes and thought about her own father. "I bet you right now," Claire smiled, "my dad is worrying his ears off about me. My mom too."

Grace took a deep breath and looked at Claire. "Claire, what are your parents like?"

Claire opened her eyes and leaned back against the wall. "Dad's the hero type. Big on rules and taking care of others. He's always going off and saving lives, but he'll drop anything if any of us need him." She laughed. "Or finishing up quickly to make it back to us."

Grace smiled. "Your dad sounds cool."

Claire shook her head. "He can be but he really doesn't like us using our hoverboots in the house." She sat up and imitated Ratchet. " 'Claire, no hoverboots in the house!' " Claire smiled when Grace laughed. "They don't leave marks on the floor, what's the big deal? They're called 'hover' boots for a reason."

Grace looked down and her bangs fell in her eyes. "I wish my dad was cool like yours."

Claire pushed Grace's bangs out of the way. "You do. And he has a pretty cool kid." Claire shrugged. "And Mac, he's cool too."

Grace smiled sadly. "I kinda miss my mom, you know? She got me like my dad never could." She curled up again. "We haven't seen her since we came to live here."

Claire rested her hand on Grace's shoulder. "Maybe you can spend a day with her, like a mother-daughter day. Just the two of you." She grinned. "You might even have fun."

Grace nodded. "That does sound fun. I'll have to see if Dad'll let me. He can be no fun though."

Claire snickered. "What dad isn't no fun? My grandpa is fun but Dad?" She sighed. "Snoresville."

Grace laughed. "Yeah." She went quiet. "Hey, Claire? What do you think Grandpa Alistair was like?"

Claire thought for a moment. "I don't know, I've only heard stories from Grandpa Kaden and Dad. They both knew him, Mom was born after they came here." She gathered her thoughts. "Grandpa Kaden told us all these stories about when they were young and troublemakers. Dad told us about how he was loyal to the Lombaxes, how he would rip the fabric of the universe apart to fix his mistake but in the end, he understood that the past is over. He sacrificed himself to save the universe. He was an unsung hero."

Grace kicked her feet a little. "Dad never talks about him. Mom says…" she sighed. "Never mind."

Claire frowned. "What is it, Grace?"

Grace smiled. "It's okay. It's nothing." She moved closer to Claire. "What about your mom? We got stuck on Dads."

Claire nodded. "Right." She smiled. "My mom is like a force of nature. She can be both quiet and kind or big and powerful. I've lived through three of her pregnancies, I should know." Claire grinned at Grace. "I mean I was 2 when Franklin was born. A 2-year-old and a newborn, while rebuilding an entire planet by scratch. Then a 4-year-old, 2-year-old, and a newborn. Then a 6-year-old, 4-year-old, 2-year-old, and a newborn." She sighed. "My mom is tough as nails."

Grace smiled. "My mom could never do that."

Claire smiled back. "Do you feel better now?"

Grace took a deep breath. "Yeah." She smiled.

Claire hugged Grace. "Great, because I know there is a worry wart downstairs who misses your face."

"I should probably go and talk to him." Grace's smile weakened.

Claire rested her head on Grace's. "Get him to stop worrying about you. You can try at least. What else does he do in a day besides worry about you and Mac?"

Grace laughed. "Yeah, no kidding." Claire released Grace, got up and helped Grace up. Grace smiled at Claire. "Age before Beauty."

The girls left Grace's room, Claire first followed by Grace. Montay sighed in relief at the sight of his daughter he met the two girls and brought his teenage daughter into an embrace. He told Grace he couldn't possibly endorse the violence she took against the bullies but he could teach her some better ways to take care of them. Ways he learned from taking care of his younger siblings.

Peace once again restored Rolin and Claire could return home where Claire wrote her mother a letter about Grace. Grace had a tough outer shell, but she was a good kid underneath it all.

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 **Thank you for reading! Please leave me a review! I'd love to know what you think. Anyway, see you next chapter!**


	8. Don't Cry for Me Fastoon

**Welcome back! Please enjoy this chapter!**

 **All non-canon characters are mine.**

* * *

As Ratchet prepared to say goodbye to his family again, hopefully not for too long, he passed Claire's room again. Every day for the past 4 months he passed her room and pretended he didn't miss her. Every day he put on a brave face for his family and did his best to pretend like Claire wasn't missed. Every day he almost knocked on her door in the senseless hope that she would open the door, smile at him, and race him to the breakfast table.

He hadn't realized how big of a space his daughter had come to fill.

"Ratchet?" Kori's voice came. Ratchet turned around to see his 8 months pregnant wife watching him stare at Claire's bedroom door. "Are you okay?"

Ratchet glanced back at the door again before nodding. "Yes, I'm fine." He approached his wife and laid his hand on her grown stomach. "How are you and baby?"

Kori smiled and put her hand on his while the other supported her back. "We're fine. The baby behaves like any of child of yours." She put her forehead against his. "You don't have to pretend to be okay, especially since I know you're not."

Ratchet sighed and smiled at Kori. "You don't know how much you're going to miss someone until they're gone." He laughed. "Is it bad that I wish she would come home early?"

Kori hugged her husband, as much as they could with a baby in the way. "I do too, don't worry." She kissed his cheek. "But she is your daughter, so she's bound to be having fun and making friends." Kori leaned against Ratchet. "And getting into trouble."

Ratchet pulled away and gave his wife the stink eye. "I didn't-" A clatter of noise above them made Kori and Ratchet looked up at the ceiling. The noise settled and the pair looked at each other. They both knew what that sound meant.

"Liza." They said together.

Kori sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "I should go talk to her."

"No, I got it." Ratchet smiled. "I can't have you climbing up to the roof, especially with your balance being off."

Kori grinned and shook her head. "Us poor female lombaxes and our evolution to not grow tails." She patted Ratchet's shoulder. "Plus someone just had to get me pregnant again."

Ratchet laughed and quickly wrapped his arms around Kori's shoulders. "I thought we agreed it was 50/50."

"75 percent minimum." Kaden offered from the other room.

"80," Franklin said as he passed his parents in the hallway.

Ratchet sighed and kissed Kori before he headed out to climb onto the roof. He found Liza sitting on the roof, staring out forward. Ratchet simply sat down next to his daughter and pulled her into a hug.

Liza sniffled and hugged her father back. "What if she never comes back, Daddy?"

Ratchet smiled sadly. "Then that's her choice."

"She didn't come back for my birthday," Liza mourned. "She must hate me."

Ratchet hugged Liza tighter. "Claire could never hate you," he made his youngest look at him. "You know that." Ratchet rubbed his nose against Liza's. "Just like how I can never stay away from all of you for very long."

Liza smiled weakly, sniffling and rubbing her eyes. "Promise you'll come back as soon as you can?"

Ratchet kissed his daughter's head. "You can't keep me away." He hugged Liza tight. "Plus your mom would kill me if I missed the baby being born."

Liza sniffled and squeezed Ratchet. "I love you, Daddy."

Ratchet squeezed Liza back. "I love you too, Munchkin." He gently rubbed her back before letting go. "Don't stay up here too long." He told his daughter as he kissed her head again. Ratchet climbed down from the roof, to finish packing. Back in the day, he didn't need really anything, just him, Clank, and Aphelion. That thought reminded him.

Franklin was working away like a busy bee, as usual. Ratchet found him in his workshop, basically an attachment to his room they had built together. Ratchet had to take a deep breath before he knocked on the door frame to get Franklin to look up from his work. The younger lombax looked up to see his father, and like a good son invited him to sit with him.

Ratchet sat next to his son. "Franklin, I need to talk to you." He steeled himself and took a deep breath.

Franklin put down his tools and turned toward his father fully. "Dad, is everything okay?"

Ratchet nodded. "Yes, but…" He smiled at his son. "I just want you to know that if anything happens to me that I need you to take care of your mom for me."

"Dad, I-"

"Please, Franklin." Ratchet stopped him. "I'm getting older. I'm getting slower." He smiled sadly at his eldest son. "I just…" He took a deep breath. "As I said, just in case anything happens to me on this mission or any more I go on from here on out. I need you to take care of your mom, your Grandpa Kaden, Liza, and Ian." Ratchet grasped his son's shoulders. "They'll need you."

Franklin frowned. "Yeah, Dad." He looked away from his father. "Of course."

"Franklin, I know-"

Franklin nodded. "No, Dad, I get it." Franklin swallowed and leaned on his desk. Ratchet was about to say something but Franklin didn't let him. "No offense Dad, but I really need to finish this module."

Ratchet nodded. "Of course, I'll leave you to it." Franklin watched his father leave, saddened by the fact that his father will not be around forever. His father's job was dangerous and as the years went by they became even more so because of Ratchet's increasing age. At 16 he wasn't fully ready to recognize that his grandfather wouldn't be around forever….but to face his father's mortality….The module sat in front of Franklin but he didn't have the heart to work on it.

Ian came into Franklin's workshop and told his brother that their father was leaving. Franklin looked at the module before putting it away and following Ian out to their father's ship. Everyone was already there, Grandpa Kaden in his chair, Kori and Liza on either side of him. Ratchet said goodbye to his father first, and his father reminded him to be careful.

Liza attacked her father when it was her turn, hugging him as if the world was ending. "I miss you already, Daddy." She whispered to him.

Ratchet smiled and squeezed Liza tight. "I'll be back before you know it." He put his forehead to hers before moving onto Ian.

Ian put his head in his father's chest and Ratchet knelt down to hug Ian. "Come back soon."

Ratchet rubbed his son's back. "Nothing in the universe could keep me away." Ratchet put his forehead to Ian's before moving onto Franklin.

Franklin nodded to his father. "Stay safe, Dad." He tackled his father in a hug. "Don't be gone long."

Ratchet smiled and hugged his son back. "No promises but I'll do my best." He whispered into Franklin's ear. "Plus I know what your mother would do to me if I miss the baby's birth." He pulled back and put his forehead to Franklin's. "Take care of them for me."

And lastly, Ratchet went to Kori, he took her hands in his. "If I don't make it back in time, I know I am in big trouble."

Kori smiled and rested her head on his shoulder. "Just come back alive and I'll forgive you." She took Ratchet's hand and put it on her stomach. "The baby wants you to come back too." Ratchet felt the little foot press against Kori's skin and his hand.

Ratchet laughed. "Well, now I don't want to leave."

Kori kissed Ratchet's cheek. "Go, be my hero." She brought his face to hers, gently kissing Ratchet's lips. "Come back soon, safe and well."

Ratchet kissed Kori back for a moment. He looked into her eyes and smiled. "You can't keep me away." Ratchet put his forehead against Kori, kissed her cheek one last time before going to his ship. "Stay safe," He called to his family. "Take care of one another. I love you all." He jumped into his ship and waved as he took off into the atmosphere.

Kori pressed her hands to her heart. She whispered to the universe, whoever wanted to answer her she didn't care. "Watch over him, please. Let him come home safe."

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 **Thank you for reading! Please leave me a review. See you next chapter!**


	9. Celestial Dance

**Welcome back! Sorry for the wait. I do hope you enjoy this chapter.**

 **All non-canon characters are mine.**

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"How have you never been dancing?" Orion asked Claire on their morning walk. It wasn't terribly early in the morning but foot traffic was light and most were adults on their way to work.

Claire smiled. "I'm a busy person, I don't have time for dancing." She and Orion momentarily separated for a moment to let someone through. "Besides I've never had someone to dance with."

"Now I definitely have to take you dancing." Orion smiled at her. "You now have a dance partner, after many years of being denied." He dramatically swung out his arms, almost hitting Claire.

Claire snickered. "Watch it, long arms." She moved a little away from him. "You could take out a building with those."

Orion slid over right next to her. "Says the girl who wears hoverboots and could easily hurt herself and others."

"I'm very practiced on them, thank you," Claire faced him. "I've been riding my own hoverboots since I was 5."

Orion smiled. "I've always been curious, where did you get your hoverboots? Usually, only the Guard have them." He leaned in and whispered to her. "Do you have a secret guard relative I don't know about?"

Claire nearly swore. Back on Fastoon, they had all the access they needed to the guard base, one because of Grandpa Kaden, and the base had been abandoned when Fastoon was. No one in her current family had any ties to the guard. She couldn't even try to rope her Great Aunt Talia because no one knew Kaden was still alive and that his son had children with Alister Azimuth's daughter. She thought for a moment before smiling at Orion. She whispered back to him. "Yeah," she looked around for a moment. "My grandpa Alister."

Orion lightly hit her shoulder. "Be serious." He smiled at her. "Plus your grandpa Alister would be ancient, and he wasn't allowed to come here."

Claire nodded. "Yeah, I know. Grandma Becca tells us each time she tells us kids about Fastoon." She shrugged. "She lost her husband that day, the father of her children. Including my mother, even though Grandma Becca was still pregnant with her."

Orion looked at Claire. "Did your grandpa know?"

"Yup, it was supposed to be a surprise but we all know what happened." Claire sighed and looked down. "My mom got to grow up in my grandfather's shadow, even though she never knew him."

Orion nodded. "Like you."

Claire wanted so badly to tell him the truth, she hated lying to him. But she just agreed with him. "Yep." She missed her parents, her grandpa, her siblings.

Orion grasped her hand. "I need to stop reminding you of your tragic past." He pinched her cheek. "Come on, we can get something to eat. My treat."

Claire rolled her eyes. "It's always your treat, you never let me pay." She let him lead her to their usual waffle place. They sat at their usual booth, with their usual waitress, who didn't even ask anymore. Claire wasn't hungry though, and she picked at her food.

Orion looked at her, concerned. "Do you need a refresher course on how to eat a waffle?"

Claire glanced at him. "No, I'm good. Thank you." She took a deep breath and put her elbows on the table in front of her. "I'm just not...hungry for waffles today."

"Do you want something else?" Orion asked. "They make other things here. You could have a quiche if you want."

Claire shook her head. "It's just that…" she wanted to tell him. Tell him the truth about who she really was. 6 months was the longest she had ever kept a secret and it was really starting to get to her.

Orion frowned. "It's just that what?"

Her life as he knew it is a lie. A secret protected by her family. A painful ache in her gut each time she had to pretend to be someone she wasn't. To have to look Orion in the eye and lie to his face.

Claire sighed and buried her face in her hands. "I want to tell you but I can't."

"Why can't you?" Orion reached out and touched her arm. "You can tell me anything, you know that."

Claire took a deep breath. "I can't tell you." She looked Orion in the eye. "You wouldn't like me afterward."

Orion frowned and looked down at his food. "I don't know about that but let's get out of here" he tried to smile again. "You have a night of dancing to get ready for."

He got their food packed up and took Claire back to Rolin and Astrid's house. Orion promised he would come back for Claire that evening. The other kids were home and happened to overhear.

Genie jumped up and down. "You're going dancing with Orion!"

Zeon thought for a moment. "I wonder if Mom would have anything Claire could wear." He looked at his sisters. "Nothing that's too old."

Claire sighed. "I don't think I should go."

Harper shook her head. "You have to go." She insisted. "It would be wrong if you didn't."

Genie clapped. "Orion is your Prince Charming!" She smiled at Claire. "He'd be alone in the universe if it weren't for you."

Claire looked at Zeon and the teen shrugged at his cousin. Too many fairy tales, possibly. Zeon nodded though. "And we're your fairy godmothers. Or fairy godcousins, as it were."

The younger girls went off to look through their parents' closet for something for Claire to wear. They came back with several good options, many too...mature for Claire but trying on the clothes took so long that Rolin and Astrid came back during the "fashion show".

Zeon pointed at his sisters. "Their idea!" Harper and Genie threw various objects at Zeon.

Rolin sighed and facepalmed. "Can I ask why you Four raided our closet?"

Harper smiled. "Claire has a date with Orion."

Claire held up her hands. "It's not a date, we're just going out dancing."

Astrid smiled and shook her head. "Genie get my sewing kit, Harper get my supplies, and Zeon put on motivational music." She looked at her husband. "Rolin, sweetheart, clean up."

Rolin rolled his eyes. "I always get the fun job." The family set off and followed the Taskmaster's orders.

Astrid picked out a green and blue dress not too far off from Claire's eye colors. It had to be hemmed and taken in to fit but Harper helped with that, picking out silver trims and star beads that Astrid added on in little groups. Genie took an old hair tie they had laying around and repurposed it to be a bracelet with shooting stars and constellation.

Rolin curled Claire's hair, having had experience was two little girls. Zeon did his DJ thing to keep everyone motivated.

Somehow they got everything done before Orion picked up Claire. Somehow Genie also got dirty, a mystery how still to this day.

Orion smiled in a goofy way. "Wow." Claire pushed him out the door so her family couldn't get snaps of them together. Orion actually drove them to a dance club for individuals their age. It was so loud and there were so many young lombaxes around that Claire almost couldn't breathe. Orion gently took Claire's hand and led her to the dance floor, where he started to do something like a dance.

He said something but Claire didn't hear it so she just chose to copy him. The music was so bouncy and fun it didn't take long for Claire to start having fun. Orion took her hands in his and started to spin her around, luckily Claire never took off her hoverboots. When the music turned slow he brought her in close and wrapped his arms around her.

Claire sighed happily and enjoyed the feeling of Orion's arms around her. She faced him and looked into his eyes, amazed how they went from brown to gold as they sparkled. He leaned down to her ear and whispered. "Please tell me what's bothering you."

Claire frowned up at him. "You have to promise to tell no one." She whispered. "No one can know what I've told you."

"Don't tell me you're a secret agent or something." Orion smiled at her.

Claire lowered her head and rested her gaze on his collarbone. "Or something."

Orion gently put his hand under her chin and lifted her face to look at him again. "I promise." He closed his eyes and sweetly kissed her. "Take that for collateral," Orion whispered against her lips.

Claire's brain froze for a moment to process what just happened. She smiled a little before closing her eyes and kissing Orion back. The warmth that blossomed in her chest, Orion's breath on her cheek, the way her heart raced. Claire understood why her parents' kissed each other. It felt nice.

Orion pulled away and smiled at Claire. "Wow…" He opened his eyes to look into her ocean colored eyes. "That was…"

Claire moved in closer to Orion and laid her head on his shoulder. "Wow." She whispered to him.

Orion smiled and rested his head on hers. "If I had known that would work I would have tried that months ago." He wrapped his arms around her tight.

Claire laughed. "I would have hit you so hard if you tried that earlier." She rested her hand on his chest as they swayed to the music.

"I believe it." Orion nodded and gently rubbed Claire's back. "Glad I waited."

Waited. Claire realized. She was only halfway through her year in the Lombax Dimension. She couldn't possibly start a relationship with Orion, especially since he didn't really know her at all. He knew the invention of herself her family and she made. Plus in 6 months she would leave. Would he go with her or would she be forced to leave him behind? Or would he hate her after he had found out the truth?

Claire gently rubbed Orion's chest. "Orion...I need to-" Suddenly her communicator went crazy. Orion let her go to check it out. At least a dozen messages each from her Uncle Rolin, Aunt Astrid, and Zeon. Each one she looked at had the same message. Come home. "Go home apparently."

Orion looked at the messages before he agreed, and he took her home. He didn't ask for a goodbye kiss, she gave him one. A sweet little one. She knew that she had to tell him, it was wrong to keep it from him now.

Aunt Astrid was waiting for her on the porch. "Oh, Claire." She said sadly. "We're sorry to interrupt your date but it's Grace."

Claire frowned. "What's wrong?"

Aunt Astrid broke, tears running down her face. She gently hugged Claire. "Grace attempted suicide." Aunt Astrid couldn't lift her eyes from the ground. "Your uncle Rolin is with your uncle Montay at the hospital. Mac and Grandma Becca are inside. They got her to the hospital, and thankfully she's going to be okay."

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 **Thank you for reading! Please leave me a review! See you next time!**


	10. Grace's Fall

**Welcome back! I do hope you at least enjoy this chapter a little bit. It's not a happy chapter but it's not as sad as it could have been.**

 **All non-canon characters are mine.**

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Rolin didn't know what to say to his brother. He only watched as his older brother, big strong Montay, was reduced to a husk of himself. Leaving his wife, Alice, had taken a toll on him but nothing compared to what Rolin saw in his brother then.

Montay sat in the uncomfortable hospital chairs, he tried to keep himself from breaking apart. His daughter was still alive, they could still help her. The thought of a world out either of his children, a sob forced its way into his throat.

He wished he had seen it coming. Seen the signs that they warned about.

He wished had protected his daughter from it.

Some part of Montay was glad that Mac hadn't been the one to find her. If he hadn't offered to take Grace up her dinner when he had...he recognized that he would never be able to forget how he had found Grace. And in that recognition, Montay promised himself and Grace that he would never let her feel those feelings again. He would do everything in his power to protect his daughter, even if it killed him.

"Alice," Rolin scolded. "Now isn't a great time."

Montay looked up from his seat to find his ex-wife standing next to his brother. Alice was beautiful, though only skin deep. She had Grace's orange stripes, and her coat was a light cream color and stunning yellow eyes. His sadness turned to anger at Alice. "Where have you been?" Montay got up and scolded her.

Alice shrugged. "Tony and I were busy."

Montay blinked. "Alice, our daughter almost died. I would think as her mother you would have dropped everything to be with her." His breathing quickened as his anger toward her built.

"She almost died on your watch, need I remind you." Alice jabbed her finger into Montay's chest. "Gracie was just fine when we had lunch together this afternoon."

"Grace," Montay corrected. "She prefers Grace." He waved his hand. "I kept her alive by myself for 6 years, I leave her with you for less than 6 hours and she almost dies."

Alice stomped her foot, her heel clicking hard on the floor. "You left me, Montay. Do you know how hard that was for me?" She frowned and crossed her arms.

Rolin stepped in between the two. "We are in a hospital hallway, let's act like adults."

Alice scoffed. "He started it."

Montay stepped around his brother. "I knew marrying you was the worst thing I could have done."

Alice gasped and screeched at Montay. "You no good rat. You take that back!"

Rolin grabbed Alice's shoulder and Montay's shirt and forced the two apart. He found several sets of hospital seats, in the farthest one he forced Alice into the seat and nearly to the end of the hallway he sat down Montay. He looked at them and nearly had to shout for them both to hear him. "I haven't had to put a kid in time out in several years, I didn't think I'd have to do it to my older brother and his ex-wife. You're both going to sit in your seats and behave yourselves." Rolin sat in between them and waited.

Did Montay really regret marrying Alice? In a way. He regretted her being his children's mother, but he could never regret them. Montay remembered that first time he held Grace in his arms, that feeling of euphoria that Rolin had described when he first held Zeon. Her little lavender eyes looking up at him, her tiny hand holding his finger. Grace didn't cry when she was born, she didn't wail, she was the calmest baby Montay had ever heard of.

Mac wailed though, boy he had a strong pair of lungs. Even at 2 years old Grace covered her ears when she first met Mac. The memory of little Grace having her baby brother propped up on her, as she still had her hands over her ears, warmed Montay's heart. When she happily responded to Gracie.

"Mr. Azimuth," A doctor came out with a clipboard. Rolin pointed him Montay's way, Montay jumped up and met the doctor halfway. "Mr. Azimuth, your daughter should be waking up soon. She's currently being given a mild tranquilizer to smooth out her mood, so don't be alarmed if she is tired."

Montay nodded. "Yes, of course."

The doctor put down the clipboard. "We ask for not much excitement, we wouldn't want her stitches to rupture." The doctor gave Montay a sheet of paper with a name and room number on it. "We ask that after you see your daughter, you speak to a mental health professional in this hospital that will help plan out her treatment going forward."

Montay took a deep breath for the first time in what felt like forever. "Absolutely." The doctor showed Montay the way to Grace's room, Rolin held Alice back ('best they not go in together' he said to staff).

Grace looked so small in the hospital bed, blankets up to her chin. Montay fought the urge to rush over and pick her up like he had done when she fell over when she was little. He sat next to the bed and watched his little girl sleep. Remembering all the times he had tucked her into bed, safe and sound for the night.

Gently Grace's eyes fluttered open, they wandered around the room for a while before they settled on her father. "Dad?" She yawned. "Where am I?"

Montay scooted closer and rested his hand on her cheek. "You're in the hospital, Grace."

Grace tried to move but pain prevented her. "My arms hurt."

Montay smiled sadly and combed his daughter's hair with his fingers. "Yeah, they'll hurt for a while. But it'll go away once they heal." Tears ran down Montay's face. "Grace, I was so scared I'd lose you."

Grace frowned and pouted. "I…. scared you?"

Montay stood up and gently touched his forehead to Grace's. "I can't imagine life without you, Grace." He smiled. "You're my little Gracie. You're growing up to be my beautiful Grace."

Grace looked away and sighed. "Mom said…."

"What did your mother say, Grace?" Montay asked gently.

Grace took a deep breath. "Mom said….that you never loved me because I remind you of Grandpa Alister. And that you hated him, so because I…" She sniffled.

Montay frowned and sat back down next to Grace. "That has never been true, sweetheart." He touched Grace's cheek gently. "I loved you before I knew you, I can't tell you how just holding you for the first time made me feel. I always loved you, even when it hurt my heart to see you in pain. I would give everything I can to take your pain away, to let you know how much I love you." Montay kissed the top of her head. "And don't tell your mother but I don't hate my father, and in my opinion, you don't look like him. You look like my daughter Grace, the beautiful young lady that has had to go through much more than she should have to. But I know she'll come out on the other side because she is my daughter, and because no matter what I will always love and care for her."

Grace smiled. "I love you, Daddy."

Montay smiled back. "Love you too, my Grace." He took a breath and rubbed her head. "I'll let you get back to sleep, I hear sleep is good for healing."

As Grace's eyes closed again, Montay kissed her forehead and smoothed out her bangs. "Good night, sleep tight." He whispered.

"Safe with my nightlight," Grace mumbled in her sleep.

Montay smiled, and quietly exited the room, turning down the lights as he left.

Rolin stood in the hallway. "How is she?"

Montay took a deep breath. "Sleeping." He looked at his brother. "I think I should stay here until she's released."

Rolin nodded. "Of course, Mom and Mac can stay at my house until things blow over. Though Claire has already been sleeping on the couch, so most likely Mom will be sleeping in the master, I can bunk with Zeon, and Astrid can bunk with Genie."

Montay smiled at his brother. "Thanks for being here, you know?"

"I'm your brother, Montay." Rolin smiled. "What else am I good for?"

Montay laughed weakly. That's when he noticed. "Where is Alice?"

"Tony took her home." Rolin shrugged. "You were in there so long, she got bored and wanted to go home."

"Perfect." Montay sighed. "I need to keep her as far away from my daughter as possible."

Rolin didn't know what Montay was talking about but he still agreed. "You got it, boss." He looked at Montay. "You go see that professional while I guard Grace's room, then when you get back I have to pick her out something from the gift shop. Something that says Grace."

Montay nodded. "Her favorite color has always been purple, but nothing frilly. If you can find something that glows in the dark, bonus points." He thought for a moment. "Maybe ask Astrid to help you pick out something, I know how good you are at picking out gifts."

Rolin pushed his brother. "Get out of here. I am to protect my beloved niece, you are to find out how to help your only daughter."

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 **Thank you for reading! The next chapter should be soon. Please leave me a review. See you next time!**


	11. The Shockwave

**Welcome back! I hope the last chapter didn't hurt too much. It wasn't the hardest one for me, it did get me misty-eyed but the one that made me cry is yet! To! Come! Looking forward to that cry fest. Please enjoy this chapter, it is happier than the last one.**

 **All non-canon characters are mine.**

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Mac was the quietest anyone had seen him, it was upsetting how much he didn't talk. Astrid knew that nothing she could ever say could make him feel better. Their own dinner grew cold as no one had the stomach to eat it.

Even Genie, the ball of energy and speed, was sedated. Astrid knew that the kids spent a lot of time with their cousin Grace, every day they walked to their grandmother's house after school. They did their homework together, or all they could get accomplished before their father came to pick them up. Zeon had been helping Grace with her Calculus homework that last school day before the weekend.

Zeon, himself, didn't have his headphones on for once and the boy simply sat and watched his sisters. Harper wasn't reading, and Genie was sitting still. It broke Astrid's heart to see her children this way.

Astrid sat next to Mac. "I know you don't feel like doing anything right now but you're going to be staying with us for a while." She lightly touched his back. "I'm going to run to your house, anything besides clothes you want me to grab?"

Mac sighed and shook his head. Astrid asked her mother-in-law the same question and received the same answer. Before Astrid left she told Claire and Zeon to see to it that accommodations for their new houseguests were made. When she got to her mother-in-law's house officers were still there, taking pictures of Grace's room and talking about what happened. Astrid snuck by them and they only noticed her when she decided the throw away the food on the dinner table, it had gone bad anyway.

She explained what she was doing and they left her alone as long as she didn't touch Grace's room. Not a problem, she never liked the smell of blood anyway.

Astrid gathered clothes for her mother-in-law and nephew, did the dishes, cleaned the kitchen, and did everything but touch Grace's room. For a moment she stopped to look at the family stills of when her husband was young, Kori smiling wide missing her front two teeth, weddings, all her children when they were newborns, baby Mac, and baby Grace. All the babies looked almost indistinguishable but Grace was easy.

Astrid had always liked Grace's white coat, like a little angel. Pure and ethereal. She loved her children, orange as they were, but it really didn't matter what color they came out as. They were hers and Rolin's. That was enough. Even though the first time she felt Zeon move was when she and Rolin said I do. She had scared everyone for a moment before realizing what had happened.

Astrid thought for a moment before contacting Montay and Rolin. They had a lot to talk about, not to mention arrange for Grace's carpet to be replaced. Montay told them he was moving up looking for a new home. Astrid proposed an idea for the new home and Montay liked it.

The brothers took shifts guarding Grace's room, Montay sleeping in the room with Grace and Rolin sleeping in the hallway, sitting next to his brother.

At some point in the night, Grace opened her eyes again, it was semi-dark in the room. Her father propped up in the seat not too far away from her, his head in his chest. There was something new in the room, on the bedside table next to her bed. It hurt to use her arms but Grace propped herself up to see this new thing. It was a stuffed Lombax, lavender fur with purple eyes. On the stomach was stitched "Get Well Soon", and it glowed softly from the inside. There was a little card open next to it. "Remember that we love you," was written in bold black ink on an otherwise blank card.

"Sorry, Grace, I didn't mean to wake you up," Rolin whispered, Grace noticed that he was there.

Grace shook her head. "No, I was already awake." She went back to the stuffed Lombax.

Rolin looked at the tiny toy. The only purple thing they had that wasn't a doll. "Your dad told me you like purple, and surprisingly not a lot of things were purple that wasn't for little kids."

Grace thought for a moment, then looked to her uncle Rolin. "Dad told you I like purple?"

Rolin shrugged. "If that's not right, then I can get you something else."

"No…" Grace shook her head. "I'm just surprised he remembered."

Rolin smiled a little. "Your dad can be a tough nut to crack." He gently grabbed the toy and put it right next to Grace in her bed. "I know you don't sleep with stuffed animals anymore but…"

Grace smiled and settled back into bed. "Thanks, Uncle Rolin."

Rolin placed his hand on Grace's head. "It's good to have you, Grace." He kissed the top of her head. "Your dad isn't going to work tomorrow so I'll let him sleep."

Grace glanced at Montay before looking up at Rolin. "Why isn't he going to work?"

Rolin nodded to his brother. "He wants to be with you until he can take you home." He smiled at his niece. "Don't worry about him though, we're here for you." Rolin knelt down next to Grace's bed. "We need to let your light shine again, like little Blinky here." He referred to the toy.

Grace laughed. "You named it Blinky?"

Rolin laughed himself. "I will be the first to admit I am the worst at naming things." He shook his head. "Have you met my eldest? That was my work."

"Aunt Astrid named Harper and Genie." Grace yawned.

Rolin nodded. "You bet your stripes." He smiled and stood. "If you need anything your old man is right here and I'll be just outside." Rolin kissed Grace's head. "Night, pretty Grace."

Grace smiled. "Night, Uncle Rolin." She yawned again and fell back to sleep.

Rolin quietly left the room and stood in the hallway, looking at houses in Montay's price range. He needed something to do while he waited until Astrid sent him an image of what the kids had done.

In their living room, the kids had set up a small city of blankets, couch cushions, and pillows. Genie and Harper brought out all their stuffed animals to use for pillows, while normal pillows were used to cover the floor. The children were each within touching distance of each other, having fallen asleep in various forms of spending time together. Harper's head rested on an open book, Zeon writing something with his headphones around his neck, Claire had an open book resting in her lap, Genie's head was propped up and Mac was at the edge of the couch to look over Claire's shoulder.

They all were in night clothes so Astrid left them there. Well, removing Harper and Claire's books (bookmarks intact), Zeon's headphones and writing pad, and covered each other them with a nice warm blanket that had been left in the closet.

Some can take the pain and let it tear apart what they love. Others will take that pain and use the flame it provides to strengthen the bonds. To burn out the impurities, and make the connections stronger than they were before.

Montay woke up as the sun rose in Grace's window, and he knew his daughter had the battle to fight for possibly the rest of her life. He wanted to be there for her whenever she needed him, even as her battle was beginning he knew that Grace would never be alone again. She would have an army behind her, in himself and her family.

Montay got up and closed the curtains, Grace could continue to sleep. Her recovery would be long but he could let her sleep longer, have some peace before her journey began.

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 **Thanks for reading! Next chapter should be coming out soon! Please leave me a review! See you next time!**


	12. Claire's Truth

**Hello again! So nice to see you again. I do hope you enjoy this chapter, it is longer. This is about the time where I stopped meticulously measuring each chapter's length, which is something I did because I need to feel like I have control. But never mind that. I do hope you like it. Enjoy!**

 **All non-canon characters are mine.**

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Claire walked with Orion, the same path they took day after day to get to the main part of the city. Their hands intertwined together, simply enjoying each other's company. With all that had been going on with Grace's treatment, moving them to their new home, and simply being a family Claire hadn't gotten around to telling Orion the truth.

But on this walk Claire had decided it was time, she had to tell him. In less than a month, she would be going home…. possibly leaving him behind.

Together they walked to the park in the city, the sun just starting to rise. Orion laid his head on her shoulder, just enjoying being close to her.

"Orion…" Claire was the first to speak.

Orion sat back and looked at her. "Yes, Claire?"

Claire looked down at her hand, still resting under his. "There has been something I've been meaning to tell you."

"Everything okay?" Orion asked, concerned. "Do you want to go back home?"

Claire laughed and tears started to roll down her cheeks. She looked Orion in the eyes as tears ran down her face. "No, not really."

Orion frowned. "Is there something wrong with your house?"

Claire swallowed and took her hand from under Orion's. "I hope not." She looked away and tried to rub away her tears. "Orion…" She took a deep breath. "I don't know how to tell you this but...I'm leaving."

"Leaving?" Orion blinked before looking at her again. "Claire, what do you mean?"

She sniffled and nodded her head. "I'm going home." Claire lowered her head and closed her eyes. "I promised my dad I would go back." Before Orion could reply Claire continued. "You see, I'm not from this dimension. I wasn't born here and I never lived here before I decided to come." She wilted. "I don't have to try and imagine what Fastoon looked like, because I live there, that is where I was born and where I grew up."

Orion turned away from Claire and thought to himself.

Claire sniffled and looked up at the sunrise. "A long time ago my mother decided to live on Fastoon, she fell in love with my father and the planet that became her home. But in choosing to live that life, in this one she died to her family and this world." She sighed. "I never wanted to lie, to you or anyone but my family wanted to let my mother live the life she wanted. We still don't know what would happen if anyone found out about my mother."

"So this whole time?" Orion breathed, looking at Claire. "Everything you told me was a lie?"

Claire shook her head. "Not everything, everything." She still held her gaze with the rising sun. "Everything about my cousins, aunt, uncles, and grandma was true. Just when you asked about my parents." That reminded her. "Also my name isn't Claire Azimuth, my mother married my father before I was born. My father is Kaden Olympic's son, my name is Claire Olympic."

"So...you're…"

"The granddaughter of the Exile and the granddaughter of the Hero." Claire shrugged. "I know." She blinked and fresh tears ran down her cheeks. "I had to keep this all a secret, but you have no idea how much I wanted to tell you." Claire lowered her head and turned away from Orion. "I understand if you hate me." She whimpered. "I'd hate me…"

Orion frowned at the back of Claire's head. "Claire, I don't hate you." He moved closer to her. "I'm not happy but...you told me." He wrapped his arms around her. "You could've just left and not told me."

Claire leaned back into his embrace and shook her head. "I never could have done that…" She sniffled. "I wanted to tell you that night, but then Grace…"

"I know." Orion rested his head on hers. "As much as I would have appreciated you being honest from the beginning, you couldn't just let out all the family skeletons to a guy you barely knew."

Claire nodded and turned to face Orion, still within his embrace. "Is it okay if I tell you about my family? My parents, my siblings, and my family back home."

Orion smiled. "You have siblings?"

Claire smiled again, placing her hand on Orion's chest. "Four of them now."

"Four?" Orion laughed.

"Yep," Claire cuddled up to Orion. "My brothers Franklin and Ian, my little sister Liza, and the new baby my mother should have had by now." She shrugged. "Little happy accidents, like me."

Orion grasped Claire's hands in his own. "So, let me get this straight. Four siblings, two parents, and you all live on this planet. Away from the rest of your race and mother's family." He shrugged. "What do you all do all day? I can get why your parents have five kids though, only five is amazing though." He laughed when Claire lightly hit his chest.

"I don't want to think about my parents that way." Claire smiled. "We are working on restoring Fastoon, but with there only being a small amount of us it has taken a long time." She moved her feet a little bit. "Plus that is where I learned how to use my hoverboots, my…" she hesitated to say the word, "grandfather taught me."

Orion looked at her. "Your Grandfather...Azimuth?"

"No," Claire said slowly. "My Grandfather Olympic. He taught each of my siblings when he figured we could handle it."

Orion stopped for a moment. "Kaden Olympic is still alive," He whispered to Claire. "Your Grandfather, Kaden Olympic, is still alive."

"Yeah." Claire nodded. "He's getting older so I'm probably going to have to teach the new baby how to use their hoverboots."

"Your Grandfather is still alive," Orion repeated. "How?"

Claire shrugged. "He went into hiding, sent my dad away to grow up somewhere safe. Then my parents found him on Fastoon, blind in one eye and my dad may or may not have tried to kill him because he may or may not have attacked my mom." Claire smiled.

Orion blinked. "Your family life is much more interesting than I thought."

Claire put her head on his shoulder. "You haven't met my siblings, yet." She settled in between his legs, leaning on him. "You're taking this remarkably well."

Orion sighed. "Well, I kind of already knew. I mean, you didn't act like you grew up here. There was something about you that was different, and I had to teach you how to eat a waffle." He smiled at her. "A waffle, Claire."

Claire touched his chin. "I knew you were smart." She curled up into his chest. "I'm leaving soon though," she said sadly.

"How soon?"

"A little under a month."

Orion frowned. "I can't convince you to stay?"

"No, sadly." Claire sighed and gently wrapped her arms around him. "I made up my mind before I came here, plus I promised my dad." She gently rubbed her forehead against Orion's shoulder. "I know it would be too much to ask you to come with me."

Orion nodded. "I'm all my parents have. And to leave an entire life behind for a new one with no guarantee that it will be better." He gently rubbed Claire's back. "Please don't be mad that I can't accept your offer."

Claire blinked and shed one last tear from her blue eye. "I understand, I just am going to miss you."

Orion hugged Claire tight. "I'm going to miss you too, but we can make this last month the best one. Make plenty of memories for you to take back and tell your family." He rubbed away her tear. "I just regret I'm never going to meet your parents and siblings."

Claire looked up at him, putting her hand on his cheek. "They're like my Aunt Astrid and Uncle Rolin, with more kids and in charge of a fixing whole planet."

Orion leaned down and kissed her. "You can say that but something wants me to know them more than a description." He whispered against her lips.

Claire smiled up at him. "I know, there is so much more I could never say."

Orion smiled before kissing Claire again, deeper and channeling how he felt about her. Claire matched his emotion, breathing deeper to get her brain more oxygen. They went on until a voice cried out in the distance.

"Get a room!" The pair broke apart to see a group of familiar young lombaxes walking to school. Claire blushed and smiled at Orion.

Orion let Claire go and got up. "You buggers better run to school before I chase you!" He yelled at them, smiling.

Zeon walked backward and yelled back. "Like you could catch us, old man!" His cousins and siblings laughed.

"Old?" Orion laughed. "You kids are going to pay for that!" He told Claire he would be right back before taking off in a sprint toward the children.

Grace smiled. "Run!" She took off, leaving her brother and cousins in the dust.

Zeon took off too. "Come on! Let's show that old timer what us youths are still capable of!" The rest of the children tried to keep up with Zeon and Grace, running the whole way to school.

Orion caught up with Genie, picking her up and carrying her the rest of the way.

A teacher was posted at the door. She frowned at Orion as he carried Genie. "Mr. Vital, why are you terrorizing children?"

Orion smiled and let Genie go. "Just my girlfriend's cousins." He breathed deeply. "They started it anyway." Orion waved to Genie as they went into the school building.

The teacher rose an eyebrow at Orion. "Please leave the school campus, Mr. Vital."

Orion saluted. "No problem, I got someone to get back to anyway." He walked back the several blocks and dropped to the ground, his head into Claire's lap. "Your cousins can run." He said, breathless.

Claire smiled and gently kissed him. "Maybe old age is getting to you."

Orion gave her the stink eye. "Don't you start that too." He brought her face down to his, kissing her. "I just have a special girl who can take my breath away."

Claire looked down at Orion and smiled. "I never thought this would happen. And for a while, I tried to fight it off." She gently rubbed his cheek with her fingers. "But then I...just couldn't anymore."

Orion gave her a cheeky grin. "I knew you fell for my charm."

Claire rolled her eyes. "And all those meals we shared together. Meeting and accepting my family. And being understanding of family emergencies."

Orion shrugged. "I can't help it that they feel like my family now too."

Claire lifted his head and laid down beside him. "One of these times you're going to have to join us at my grandmother's house for family dinners. My grandmother has been dying to have you over."

Orion turned his head toward her. "Deal, if you come and dine with my parents and me."

"Definitely." Claire leaned into him and laid a kiss on Orion's lips.

Together they laid there, staring up at the sky for hours. Or at least until the kids were done with school and ambushed them. Grace laid down next to Claire while Harper and Genie plopped onto Orion. Zeon and Mac sat at their feet.

"Have you guys been here all day?" Grace smiled. Her black clothes gone and dyed hair long since faded. Grace now wore bright purple and blue clothes her father made sure she liked before he bought them for her. Montay told his daughter when her hair recovered from being dyed she could pick a new color, any color she wanted.

Orion groaned under Harper and Genie. "Believe it or not." He sat up and the girls rolled down to his legs. "I want to spend as much time with Claire as I can before she leaves."

Zeon frowned at Claire, "You told him?" The rest of the kids got sad and frowned.

Grace pouted. "You're still going to leave?"

Claire sat up too and looked at her cousins. "I know you all want me to stay but I made a promise." She sighed. "Plus who is going to help with the reconstruction? I took enough time off, I need to get back."

Orion nodded. "I don't like that she's leaving either but I'm going to be supportive of her decision."

Mac scoffed. "You're not going with her?" He looked at Orion like he was crazy. "Isn't that the romantic thing to do?"

"It is but…" Orion sighed. "My parents don't have any more kids. All of you have siblings, if any of you left they would have someone. My parents would just have each other, but no other kids."

Claire smiled and rested her hand on Orion's arm. "And I'm okay with that. I couldn't ask you to leave."

Genie pouted. "We're going to miss you, Claire."

Claire smiled and gathered up all her cousins in a hug. "I'm going to miss all of you. You have no idea how having you all with me has been."

Grace began to feel squished. "I'd hate to interrupt this touching moment but we have to get to Grandma Becca's."

Orion smiled. "And I'm coming too so we'll have to warn her so she makes food for me."

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 **Thank you for reading! And thank you so much to acuransxfan2005 for the reviews, I've read them and I'mma take notes because you do raise some good points. And I'll see if I can do your suggestions justice.**

 **It's been so long since I've had a review, I forgot what it was like. But I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please leave me a review! I'd love to know what you think. See you next time!**


	13. Return to Fastoon

**Greetings again! Hope you are enjoying the story. Quick update as I am supposed to be leaving for work right now! Please enjoy!**

 **All non canon characters are mine.**

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Rolin told himself he wasn't going to cry. Did that work at all? No, but it was lucky Astrid packed tissues. Orion tagged along because he wanted to see Claire off, though Rolin stuck some tissues in the kid's pocket without him noticing.

Commander in Chief Talia Olympic met them at the Research Facility. Claire hugged her and told her how lovely it was to meet her. Orion got a handshake and a 'who are you?'

Claire pulled Orion up to her great aunt. "Aunt Talia, this is my boyfriend, Orion Vital." She smiled at her aunt.

Talia smiled at the boy. "I trust you've been on your best behavior with my darling niece?"

Orion gave a solemn nod. "Of course Ma'am." He smiled at Claire. "But I did get her to go on a date with me her first day."

Claire laughed nervously. "That wasn't a date, it was breakfast." She cleared her throat and pushed Orion away gently. "Thank you, Orion." She tried to smile wide for her aunt.

Talia looked at Montay. "I think your sister will like him."

Montay nodded and smiled sadly. "I think so too but unfortunately Orion has chosen to let Claire go home alone."

Talia turned serious. "Interdimensional is quite the long-distance relationship." She turned to Claire again. "Are you sure that's what you want?"

Claire smiled sadly. "Yeah, he can't leave and I can't stay." For the last month, Claire had gone over this thought too many times to count. Doubt still hung in the back of her mind.

Montay was busy prepping the machine when he felt a….few presences over his shoulder. He turned around and his nieces, nephew, son, and daughter were all behind him. "What are you lot planning?"

Grace smiled at her dad. "Well, Daddy," she spoke sweetly. "We were wondering if you'll let us visit Fastoon."

Zeon gave his best smile. "Just for a bit."

"We'll be on our best behavior!" Mac added.

Montay quickly noticed how outnumbered he was. "Well I have a say on Grace and Mac but 3 of you need to ask your mother." Quickly turning their three children on Astrid and Rolin.

Rolin and Astrid suddenly had three pairs of big innocent eyes begging them to go. Genie sniffled and blinked crocodile tears into her eyes. Harper whimpered. "Please Mommy. Please, Daddy."

Rolin looked at Astrid and shrugged. Astrid sighed and facepalmed. "Fine." Their children broke into a loud cheer, so much that Astrid nearly had to yell to be heard over them. "But I expect full compliance, absolute best behavior, and always being with an adult."

Zeon raised his hand. "Now when you say adult, are Claire and Orion in that category?"

"No," Astrid said and behind her back her husband commented how those two still needed supervision.

Montay smiled at his children. "I don't see why not as long as no one gets hurt and we're on our best behavior."

Grace and Mac smiled at each other. Claire smiled up at her aunt. "Are you coming, Aunt Talia? I know Grandpa would love to see you."

Talia smiled back. "I know I've missed my brother, I should pay him a visit."

Claire nodded in agreement. Montay laid down the ground rules for the children before fully finishing prep work. Orion held Claire's hand.

As the door opened, Montay let Claire go first. Claire held her hand over Orion's eyes as she pulled him through to the other side. The familiar heat covered her and she took a deep breath of Fastoon air. Franklin had clearly been busy the last year. New structures, reinforced ceilings, and a water line running up from underground.

Claire smiled wide, she was home. Orion opened his eyes and looked around. "Woah." He smiled at Claire and let go of her hand.

Claire watched the rest of her family come through the portal and then it temporarily closing behind them. She opened her arms wide. "Welcome to Fastoon!" She spun around. "Or, as I know it...Home." Claire took another deep breath and gently grasped Orion's hand. "If this is going to be your only time here I want to show you around."

Montay smiled. "Claire, we have something to do before you disappear."

"Claire!" A young voice called off from the distance. The group turned to see not so little Liza off in the distance.

Claire smiled and charged at her little sister. "Liza!" Forgetting completely about Orion and the rest of her family, Claire tackled her little sister in a hug. "Oh, Liza, I've missed you!" Nearly squeezing the breath out of her little sister.

Liza sniffled and buried her face into her sister's chest. "I was scared you were never coming back."

"I'm going to be much harder to get rid of than that." Claire smiled and let Liza go. "Go get everyone else, I need to see their faces."

Liza didn't leave though, she looked behind her sister and saw a large group of lombaxes. "Claire, did you bring the whole city with you?" Little Liza had never seen so many lombaxes in one place before. She looked through and saw her uncle Montay. "Uncle Montay!" She tackled the older lombax in a hug.

Montay hugged her back. "Hello, Liza. There are some people I'd love for you to meet."

Claire smiled and told Orion to stay put, she'd be right back. She activated her hoverboots and zoomed off. Claire came up to her house to find her mother, grandfather, and the baby outside. "Mom." Claire sniffled and came up behind her mother and grandfather, hugging her mother.

"Hello." Her mother said before she turned around to see who was hugging her. "Claire, you're home!" Kori kissed her daughter's cheeks and nose.

Kaden smiled. "She has returned to us." He pointed to the small infant, 7 months old, sitting and playing with toys. "Come, meet your sister."

Claire brightened and let her mother go to approach the baby. She was small, her father's coat and stripes, but her mother's eyes. "Hello, little one." Claire crept up to the tiny baby. "What is your name?"

Kori smiled sadly. "We've been waiting for your father came back to name her."

Claire frowned and looked at her mother. "How long has he been gone?"

"He left before the baby was born, 8 months ago," Kaden remarked. Kori sighed and Kaden shook his head. "Haven't heard anything from him since he left."

Claire looked at her littlest sister, she missed so much while she was gone. She regretted staying away. "Do you...think he's okay?" Claire looked up at her mother and grandfather. "He's...never been gone this long."

Kori approached her daughters and wrapped her arms around Claire. "I'm sure he's taking his time to do things properly. He'll be home soon, I can feel it."

Claire smiled at her mother. "Are you sure that isn't arthritis?"

"You are going to pay for that." Kori lightly elbowed her eldest daughter and picked up her youngest one. "I'm sure your Uncle Montay has brought something with him."

Claire smiled and pulled her mother and grandfather along. "Yeah, Mom about that."

Kori set eyes on the large group of lombaxes. She saw her brothers in the mass and slowly approached them, passing the baby to Claire to hold. "What is this?" She whispered.

Rolin spotted his sister and came out of the crowd to her. "Kori." He smiled. "Been a long time."

Kori started to tear up. "What are you all doing here?" She sniffled. "Don't tell me you all plan to stay because our house isn't big enough."

Rolin laughed and brought out his wife. "Just visiting, but you remember Astrid."

Astrid smiled and lightly hugged Kori. "It's nice to see you, Kori." She brought her children forward. "These are our children: Zeon, Harper, and Ginny."

Genie bounced in place. "It's Genie, Mommy." Zeon and Harper smiled at their aunt.

"But your birth name is Ginny." Astrid nodded.

Kori hugged all the children and told them how lovely it was to meet them. Montay offered up his children next. Liza fawned over Grace's hair and asked a million questions on how she got it to be purple, the faded purple it was.

Talia approached Kaden. "It's been too long, Kaden."

Kaden smiled at his sister. "Yes, it has." He embraced Talia. "I really must remember to write you more, but this old brain sometimes forgets things."

Talia shrugged. "I know, I hear you are in the babysitting business. Another grandchild to watch."

Kaden nodded and retrieved the infant from Claire. "This is the one." He showed the baby to Talia. "Growing up like a weed, it wasn't that long ago that she couldn't lift her own head let alone sit up on her own."

Talia gently took the baby in her arms, the little baby not bothered by this new person holding her. "She looks almost just like Ratchet did when he was a baby. He didn't have his stripes though the last I saw him." Talia sweetly kissed the tiny babe. "Where is that son of yours, anyway?"

"He went out on a mission before the baby was born," Franklin came up from behind his great aunt. "And we haven't heard anything since. Hello, Great Aunt Talia."

Talia smiled. "You must be Franklin." She told the boy to go fetch the rest of his siblings, and she turned to her brother. She frowned at him. "You let your son still try and save the universe. At his age, and with a child on the way."

Kaden shook his head. "He's tried so many times to retire, it never seems to stick." He touched his youngest granddaughter's ears. "Ratchet will be fine, he is your nephew." Franklin brought his grandfather and great-aunt his siblings, excluding Claire, and Kaden introduced his grandchildren to his sister. Franklin and Ian acted like perfect gentlemen for their aunt.

Liza smiled at her grandfather and bounced with excitement. "Grandpa Kaden, Claire brought a boy!"

Kaden excused himself to where he found his eldest granddaughter and rested his hand on her shoulder. "What is this I hear about a boy?" He asked the teenager.

Claire smiled and retrieved Orion. She held his hand and smiled widely. "Mom, Grandpa, this is Orion." Claire presented her boyfriend to her mother and grandfather.

Orion nodded. "Pleased to meet you."

Kori smiled in returned. "Very nice to meet you. Are you keeping Claire or are you joining us here?"

Orion and Claire looked at each other before Claire responded. "I'm staying, he's leaving." She smiled weakly at her mother.

"If that is your choice," Kori nodded and approached Orion. "A difficult choice I understand making, I made the same choice when I was about your age." She smiled at Orion. "Even now this choice isn't final, you still have time to decide."

Claire sniffled. "Mom, you know I could never leave you guys…"

Kori embraced Claire. "And I understand that." She kissed her daughter's forehead. "But when it comes to matters of the heart you must do what is right for your heart."

Claire pulled herself from her mother's embrace and looked at Orion, tears in her eyes. "I can't stand to watch you leave..." She kissed him one last time before letting go of his hand and making her escape. Claire zoomed off to hide in her bedroom, sadness and pain weighing on her heart. She tried not to cry, but still, tears came when she thought about Orion. How they would grow apart. How much she missed him, even though he hadn't even left her yet. How if she felt like she could, she would stay with him. If her family didn't need her.

Montay came up to Orion and put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "We're ready when you are."

Kori gathered the rest of her children and kept them close by so no more of them could escape to the Lombax Dimension. Talia said goodbye to her brother and made him promise to get her some stills of the new baby. Montay did a head count so he didn't have any extra or missing kids. Rolin and Astrid cooed over the baby for a moment before saying goodbye to Kori.

The portal opened, goodbyes called out and waves were waved. Montay waited for Orion. Orion stood still, and he realized that this is what Kori was talking about. It was now that his choice was being made. So much of his time the past year had been spent with Claire, and he didn't know how else he would fill that time without her. How...empty things would be without her. The questions people would ask and how he would answer them. Would he tell them Claire and him had broken up? That Claire had died? Would he have to attend her funeral?

The only one to witness this was Montay, the rest of the Olympic family had moved on to not weigh on Orion's mind.

Montay called to Orion. "Are you coming or going?"

Orion took a deep breath. "I don't know anymore." His mind swam with thoughts, about his parents, about him and about Claire. How much he loved his parents but didn't want to hurt them. How Claire made him feel like his world was complete. How, no matter what his choice, hearts were going to be broken. His mother's and his father's or Claire's and his own. "I...just don't know anymore."

Montay sighed and approached Orion. "Don't listen to your head. That thing never knows what it wants."

Orion turned to Montay. "Are you saying that I should just leave my parents?"

"No matter what you chose, Orion, you're going to question it," Montay told him. "Do you think that you can find someone to replace Claire? It is either your parents and someone new or her."

"You're not helping." Orion groaned. The younger Lombax held his head in his hands, trying to think.

Montay shrugged. "You've never met my ex-wife." He sighed and backed away. "I can't keep this portal open forever. You must choose now, Orion."

Orion imagined the heartache his parents would have, but he wouldn't really be gone to them. He imagined Claire and how inconsolable she was, thinking he so easily left. Orion felt an urgency in his gut to run to Claire, and stay with her. She was the only one to catch his eye. Her hands fit perfectly in his. Was he so willing to choose his old life over a new one? A new one on a new planet with the girl of his dreams. A new life charting his own course, rather than following the one older lombaxes decided for him.

"Tell my parents…." Orion closed his eyes and took a breath. "I love them but I'm sorry." The younger lombax met Montay's eyes for a moment before he took off running.

Montay smiled. "Good luck kid." He turned and walked through the portal, closing it behind him.

Orion learned quickly why they used hoverboots to get around Fastoon, very long distances. He still ran, past Franklin, past Ian and Liza, past Kori and the baby, and he made it to the house.

Kaden laughed and yelled to him to use the first door on the left.

"Claire!" Orion shouted, nearly running into many things. "Claire! Claire!"

She, of course, heard this commotion and came out of her room, tears running down her face. Claire saw Orion and gasped at him. "Orion, what are you doing here?"

Orion ran to her and kissed her. He was out of breath from running but that didn't matter. "I couldn't leave you." He whispered to her and kissed her again.

Claire pulled away and sniffled. "What about your parents? What about your life back there?"

Orion smiled at her. "But I only have one Claire, and I want to stay with her." He hugged her. "I didn't want to think about my life without you."

Claire hugged him back. "You're crazy."

"And you're stuck with me." Orion smiled.

Franklin appeared and disappeared again as he walked past. "He's not staying in my room."

Claire threw the closest object she had at Franklin, completely missing but she didn't care. Kori welcomed Orion to the family, they had dinner (Kori and Kaden putting Claire and Orion on separate ends of the table) and Kaden gave up his room to let Orion have it until a new solution could be found, or another room was added on. Kaden and Kori were up late that night brainstorming solutions and making sure the littlest one stayed asleep through the night.

They both froze when the door opened up to reveal a beat and worn Ratchet. "Hey," He groaned. "So sorry I'm late."

Kori jumped up and kissed Ratchet. "I'm just happy you're home." She brought him to their couch.

Kaden looked at his son, who sat slowly and like he was sore. "What took you so long?"

Ratchet tried to smile. "Some things didn't go right, and I've got some bruised ribs, but I'll be fine with some new nanotech." He looked to his wife. "Anything I miss?"

Kori smiled. "We have three more mouths to feed."

"What did we have twins?"

Kaden shrugged. "Not exactly."

Kori bit her lip. "Your daughter, Claire, brought home a boy."

Ratchet stopped, looked at his wife, and then to his father. "She brought home a boy?"

Kaden nodded. "Nice kid, chose to stay here with her." He nodded toward his daughter in law. "Like someone else we know."

"But she brought home a boy!" Ratchet exclaimed. Exactly what he didn't want to happen. He was already planning how he would talk to the kid when Kori broke his focus, she placed her hand on his arm.

Kori smiled. "Oh Ratchet…" She gently brought Ratchet's face to her. "Would you like to meet our new baby girl?" Kori grinned.

"A girl?" Ratchet smiled. Another daughter he had to worry about. "Where is she?" Kori took her husband to the new baby's room. And he got to see the little one, who looked just like him. "Look at her." Ratchet held his wife, smiling widely. He resolved to protect Liza and his youngest better from boys. "Did you name her yet?"

"We were waiting for you." Kori rubbed Ratchet's chest gently, unable to contain her happiness of having him back home. "But Liza's list has been growing."

Ratchet kissed Kori's head, looking down on their newest (or youngest rather) addition. "There was a name from Liza's list that stuck out to me." He nodded. "Rosalyn Olympic."

"Rosalyn," Kori mused. She kissed her husband. "I like it."

Ratchet smiled, kissed Kori back and together they smiled their youngest. "Welcome to the family, Rosalyn."

Back in the Lombax Dimension Montay knocked on the door of the Vital family home. Cassius opened the door, upset that his son wasn't with Montay. Orion has left in the morning, and still not home hours after dark.

"We need to talk." Was all Montay said. "Orion isn't coming home." As a father Montay knew that was the one thing he never wanted to hear. But it had to be said because it was true. Montay gave Orion's parents his final message, apologizing profusely as Stella cried.

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 **Thank you for reading! Next chapter is the last one, I promise! Then onto the next story in the works! Please leave me a review! I'd love to know what you think!**


	14. The Unthinkable Epilogue

**And here we have our stunning conclusion to our story! But there is still so much more! Another story is in the works, though I don't have a name for it yet... I will think of one! Soon. Very soon. Trust me. Please enjoy this chapter, leave me a review!**

 **All non-canon characters are mine.**

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Rosalyn took a deep breath and blew out the six candles on her birthday cake. The little Lombax girl giggled and clapped her hands, grinning from ear to ear. Kori kissed her youngest's head before taking the cake away to cut it.

Kaden smiled, holding his newborn great-grandson. The infant was out cold, his coat was cream colored like Orion but the baby was still too new, his stripes and eye color had not come in. "Rosie, come look at Baby." He said to his youngest granddaughter.

Rosie went up to her grandfather. The little girl crawled up next to Kaden, to look at her nephew. "He's so cute!"

Kaden held up the baby for her to see. "And sleeping like a rock." He shared a smile with his granddaughter.

Ratchet came up to the pair, "Rosie, Mom has some cake ready if you want some." The little girl quickly ran to her mother before Ian or Zeon could possibly steal her cake. Ratchet sat next to his father. "Hand over the kid, old man."

Kaden smirked and rocked the baby, who stirred in discomfort. "You're an old man too now, Grandpa Ratchet." He handed the baby over. "Besides, I think it's feeding time."

Ratchet soothed the baby and laid the baby on his chest. "With my luck it definitely is." He leaned back in the seat, keeping his hand on the baby. "How does it feel to be a great grandpa, Dad?"

Kaden smiled. "Like being a grandpa but better." He reached over and rubbed the baby's back. "I can pawn a great grandkid onto his grandpa."

Ratchet laughed and bounced the baby, "You're an inspiration to us all." The baby started to cry again. "Alright, you're going to Mommy." Ratchet got up and took the squirming infant to a bedridden Claire in her and Orion's room.

Claire perked up at the sight of her baby. "Hello there." She cooed, smiling. "Are we being trouble?"

Ratchet smiled and gently gave Claire the infant. "We're just yelling at Grandpa that we're hungry."

"Oh, you poor thing," Claire smirked. "Mommy will fix it, she promises." She put a blanket over her shoulder and the baby fell silent as he fed.

Ratchet remembered when Claire was that small, now she had started her own family. Orion and him hadn't had the best start, he hadn't tried to choke Orion as Alister had him, but they came to an understanding.

Franklin had left to live in the Lombax Dimension, visiting like Montay and his daughter Liza was on her year in the Lombax Dimension. Ratchet was hoping she wouldn't bring home a boy too.

Claire smiled at her father. "You alright, Dad?"

Ratchet nodded. "Just remembering something."

"Don't get lost," Claire warned. "I hear memory lane is long for old people."

Ratchet leaned over and kissed his daughter's head. "You're lucky you're holding my grandson." He sighed and looked at his daughter. "How are you doing? Still sore?"

Claire put a hand on her lower stomach. "I attempted getting out of bed this morning." She shuttered a little. "I don't know how Mom did this five times."

Ratchet gave a chuckle. "She at least waited a couple days to let her body heal before she tried to leave our bed."

"I never liked waiting," Claire smirked at her father. "Plus I have other things to do, I can't sit around all day."

Ratchet shook his head. "You just had a baby, your body can't instantly recover from that." He tickled the little baby's foot that stuck out. "Plus Rosie would have loved to have a birthday buddy but someone couldn't wait."

"Blame Orion." Claire held up a hand.

Orion happened to walk in as this was being said. "What are blaming Orion for now?"

Claire used the same blanket to burp the baby. "I didn't have the baby on Rosie's birthday."

Orion thought for a moment before turning to his wife and father in law. "How is that my fault?" He asked. "I couldn't control when you went into labor. Or how long it was." Orion sat next to Claire. "I only got to clean up after it."

Ratchet shrugged. "You make it, you clean up after it." He smiled. "After all my practice getting blood out of sheets is easy."

Claire laughed while Orion shuttered. He looked at his wife. "Remind me of that the next time we think of having a kid."

Claire winced and rested a hand on her lower stomach. Ratchet took the baby and continued burping the baby for her. "Are you alright?" The baby finally letting out a little gas bubble.

Claire nodded and steadied her breathing. "Those muscles are still sore, in case you were wondering."

Ratchet's communicator went off, he passed the baby off to Orion to answer it. "Clank, good to hear from you." He quickly exited Claire and Orion's room to have the conversation in the hallway.

"Yes, the same to you but I need you to come to the Great Clock," Clank said. "It's about Alister."

"Alister?" Ratchet tried not to say the name too loud. "What about him?"

Clank urged Ratchet to come. "I simply can't explain it, you must see for yourself."

Ratchet told him he'd be there as soon as he could. Little Rosie happened to overhear this and gave her father the biggest eyes. "You're leaving?" She pouted and sniffled.

Ratchet smiled and knelt down to the little girl. "Uncle Clank needs me, I won't be gone long."

"No mission?" The young girl questioned, no pout or sniffle in sight.

Ratchet shook his head. "No mission." He confirmed with the small tyrant. "Tell your mom to save me some cake and that Big Sister Claire could use some."

Rosie smiled. "And Baby?"

Ratchet smiled. "Baby's still too little but if Claire gets cake then she can make more food for Baby." Rosie nodded and ran off while Ratchet went to the Great Clock.

Clank met Ratchet at the entrance. "Hello, Ratchet. It is good to see you." Ratchet knelt down and lightly hugged Clank. "It's been a while."

Ratchet laughed. "Five kids and one grandchild later." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry I haven't been able to come around very often."

Clank smiled. "It's alright, but follow me." They walked into a newer inner sanctum and on a table was Alister, perfectly preserved. "You see Sigmund detected a time anomaly some time ago and for the longest time we hadn't been able to locate it until recently." Clank gestured to Alister's body. "Please, touch him."

"He died over 30 years ago, he shouldn't look like this." Ratchet held up his hands. "No offense, Clank but I'm not touching him."

Clank nodded. "Understandable, but he retains a slightly lower normal Lombax body temperature. And for being dead for over 30 years he remarkably is yet to decompose."

Ratchet half nodded. "So you're saying that…"

Clank looked at Alister. "When the blast hit him, it did not kill him. It… 'paused' him, so to speak."

Ratchet took a deep breath. "So, in a way, he's still alive?" He looked at his father-in-law he never thought he'd see again. "Can you...fix him?"

"It may take some time, but Sigmund and I can do our best." Clank nodded.

Ratchet took a deep breath before laughing nervously. "How am I going to tell my wife her father is still alive?"

Clank smiled at Ratchet. "Kori will understand," he nodded.

Ratchet smiled. "Yeah." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I better get going, it's Rosie's birthday today. You can come to meet the new baby."

Clank nodded. "I would enjoy that."

So the friends went back to Fastoon while Sigmund continued his work on restoring Alister. When Ratchet got back he found a not-so-happy Kori. He put on his best smile. "I'm guessing Rosie didn't say that I would be right back." He called out to her.

Kori rose an eyebrow at her husband. "No, she did not and she said that Daddy told her Baby could have cake."

"She was not paying attention to me." Ratchet nodded. "But," Clank climbed out of the ship. "Clank's here."

Clank smiled at Kori, "It is good to see you again, Kori." He walked up to her. "You are looking well for being a grandmother."

Kori smiled at Clank. "You really know how to charm someone, Clank." She hugged Clank. "How are things?"

"Things never get boring." Clank laughed. Kori smiled at the little robot and led him back to their home, smirking at her husband. Even after all the years that had passed, Kori never asked about the Clock. She knew though, that it was a precious thing to be protected, like how she saw her children.

The baby didn't exactly take to Clank, as he did with most. He mostly slept. Rosie offered Clank birthday cake, which he gently refused. Ian, Zeon, and Claire shared stories of the Lombax Dimension with Clank. At the end of the day, Ratchet took Clank back to the Great Clock so he could help Sigmund.

As they were turning in for the night Ratchet decided it was best to hold off telling Kori about Alister. It was a week later that Clank announced that Alister was restored and in a temporary comatose state, Ratchet was then to forced to tell his darling wife.

She didn't take it as well as he had hoped she would. Kori forced everyone else out of the house to take the baby for a walk so she and Ratchet could discuss this. "You mean to tell me, Ratchet Olympic, that my father is still alive and has been restored out of a strange time anomaly. And you didn't tell me when you first learned about this?"

"Well…"

"And now that he's been restored we're supposed to do what? He's closer in age to us than your father, who is his actual age."

"Kori," Ratchet spoke up.

"I never knew my father, Ratchet." Kori began to pace. "I don't know anything about him. Who he is and if he was anything like what my mother said."

Ratchet sighed and took Kori's hands in his, stopping her pacing. "Kori, I think he'd be thrilled to meet you."

Kori took a deep breath. "If he's meeting our family. He's meeting the whole family." She gently removed her hands from his grasp and walked past Ratchet. "I'm calling my brothers."

When Franklin had his turn in the Lombax Dimension he set up an interdimensional link between the two families. Kori went to the console and called up Montay. "Montay, come in."

Ratchet came up behind her as her brother got through. "Yes, sister of mine?" No visual, Franklin was still working on that.

"I need you to come to the house," Kori said. "Pack for a few days."

"Anything specific?"

"Bring everyone. The family is required."

"How soon?"

Ratchet stepped up. "Four days. We haven't much time."

"Emergency?"

"You can say that." Ratchet nodded.

Montay signed out, stating he'll do his best. Kori breathed a sigh of relief. At this moment the walk was over and everyone sent out of the house was now back in the house.

Claire looked at her parents. "Something wrong?" She frowned and instinctively held her baby close.

Ratchet shook his head. "Prepare the house, we're going to have family over." He looked at his remaining children. "All of them."

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 **Thank you so much for reading! I do apologize for the cliff hanger. I kind of apologize. But not to fear there is plenty more coming. Please leave me a review. I'd love to know what you think. Stay tuned for the next story! See you then!**


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